EXACTRIX PRODUCTS

“Only your imagination limits your progress.”

“Keep on Keepin on” with Exactrix Ultra Endurance 1890, 1895 and 1990 Single Disc Seeders.

Most owners of Deere 1890 single disc drills have a good opportunity to bring more bushels to the elevator every year.

Yielder drills often outperform Deere 1890’s by 20 bushels per acre at Walla Walla, Washington. That is a lot of money in today’s economics. The first Yielders are now over 31 years of age they still win the yield contest in winter wheat. So lots of bushels are lost by the Deere 1890 due to poor seed placement or seeding too fast for conditions.

Some of the single disc drills released are limited to certain soil types or may have some type of seed delivery problem that the engineers knew nothing about when the machine was released. Furthermore many of the single disc machine designs were based on Federal Crop Farming of the last 25 years. Some single disc machines are not built for highly persistent, and consistent yield, they are non-durable price point machines that are purposely designed to meet a broad but certain segment of the no-till single disc market.

The Case SDX is a good example of a single disc seeder that needs help outside the machines area of development. New seed boots and several updates are now available for the SDX which expands the machines applicable market. www.exactrix.com/SDXWW or www.exactrix.com/KD.htm provide information on the Case SDX.

The Deere 1890 is a tillage, minimum till and No-till drill that has had good success but is marginally applied in many No-till conditions. The 1890 is a machine that needs improvements to make it better about 70% or the time. In fact many problems exist with the machine that owners are simply not aware of. One big factor is adequate weight.

Side Bar Click Here For Additional Information On Owning And Operating Costs

After 14 years of exposure to the 1860 and 1890 with Exactrix injection systems. ….Exactrix engineers have discovered several 1890 problems that can be easily fixed. Many producers are not aware of these problems.

Why and how did Exactrix engineers and owners discover these problems?

Producers with Exactrix Wing Injection systems discovered the Deere 1890 problem. When the openers do not properly engaged the soil a small amount or about 1% to 5% of NH3 is lost. This immediate loss is reported almost always to Exactrix. An investigation begins.

Exactrix engineers now understand why some 1890’s work better than others. Especially troublesome are the 7.5 inch 1890’s and the very light weight, non durable, 1690 which is no longer recommended. The 10 inch 1890 at 40 feet has been a good performer and yet it can be improved.

The 30 foot 1895 is the best machine for seeding. World Class Yields, high net margin from Exactrix TAPPS.

Side Bar - 2 Click Here For Additional Information On Seeding With The 90 Series Opener

….The best seeder from Deere is the 1895 raising top, world class yields. This machine is often utilized in the rolling Palouse and Southern Idaho irrigated wheat production. The 1895 has additional frame weight per opener when set up at 30 feet. The machine penetrates tough soils better than any other Deere single disc machine. Seeding in tough conditions at 2.5 inches is common with the Deere 1895.

Opener bounce, poor upkeep, and opener operation in heavy residue needs to be further explained to owners. Deere activists need to train operators on how to seed properly with the 1890. The limitations of the 1890 are seldom explained to the new owner.

Typically Deere 1890’s on 10 inch can seed much faster than 7.5 inch drills. Opener bounce is a problem with narrow spacing drills. A 42 foot 1890 on 7.5 inch spacing has 68 openers and they bounce to the point the machine seed placement is not acceptable at almost any ground speed. Some producers expand the 1890 to 72 openers making the problem of opener bounce even worse.

1890 seeding No-till…Reviewing the 10 inch 1890.

The 10 inch version has 52 openers at 43 feet and the machine needs more weight.

A 10 inch 40 foot 1890 has 48 openers at 409 pounds per opener.

The 50 foot, 10 inch version has 583 pounds per opener.

And 60 foot 10 inch has 555 pounds per opener.

The 60 foot 7.5 inch drill has 458 pounds per opener…

A 60 foot 1890 on 7.5 inch spacing must add 97 pounds per opener to seed like a 10 inch machine.

Therefore 96 times 97 is 9,312 pounds of additional weight must be added just to seed like an 1890 on 10 inch.

Reference Deere Charts from their 2011 brochure at www.JohnDeere.com

The producer said, “Make it seed like a Yielder”.

Yielder drills produce the highest dryland yields in North American agriculture right to the top of the yield potential in winter wheat. The machines are capable of producing 800 to 1,200 pounds per opener all day long, plus the opener down pressure can be adjusted from the cab to match the seeding speed. Two other major factors make the Yielder Drill difficult to outcompete for yield….since the machine is not a price point machine…it is a maximum yield machine.

Major Changes to improve the 1890 opener performance.

1.        Remove the Free Link. 1D2161, Drop the tillage aspect of the drill. All the openers need to engage with positive down pressure in rolling terrain,
    such as terraces or steep slopes.

2.        Add Frame weight evenly across the frame of the 1890 or 95…add at least 10,000 pounds. Use wheel weights in the center frame corners. Use
    tractor weights at the back to the center of the frame.

3. Change the hydraulic cylinder size to 4 inch diameter. Common SAE 4 inch cylinder, 8 inch stroke, $250., source locally. Typically 6 to 9
cylinders must be changed.

4.        Remove the Deere patented hydraulic pressure compensation valve and install the X-16 Accumulator Ride Control. Allow the opener pressure
    to be changed at the cab by the operator. The X-16 ride control does not constantly consume 10 gallons per minute of hydraulic flow. The
    accumulators are charge in ranges allowing each cylinder to respond instantly. Electronic control of the opener ride is possible from the tractor
    cab. 1D2191 Hydraulic Group. 1D2192 with electronic feed back and a plc performance loop.

    Major Changes to improve the 1890 endurance and opener performance.
    Increase tractor seat time 4 to 5 times between maintenance events.

5.        Change the coulter blade diameter, thickness and hub strength. Two choices are available.
     Choice 1. Seeding and banding, wing injection 19.1 x 5/16 single edged 1.25 inch. Yielder Manganese blades inclusive steel hub design with ½
    inch hub bolts. 1D2195.
     Choice 2. Banding only typically 19.6 x 3/8 single edged 1.5 inch Yielder Manganese blades inclusive steel hub design with ½ hub bolts. 1D2196.

6. Install carbided seed boots, triples the wear life of the standard boot. 1D2212,

7. Install Martin 20 point closing wheels, point loads the closing and removes opener load.

8. Install Martin 2,3/4 in. heavy duty depth wheels, reduces opener bounce, leaves more standing stubble, and appears to be more durable when
sourced from Martin.

Changes that improve seeding.

9. Install Needham seed tabs.

10. Install the Needham narrow firming wheel.

11.     Install Ag Pro seed metering system for best seed delivery and uniformity…a lower box can be added to the Deere 1990. Best metering system for
   high value seed that is GMO. Any 1890 can be made into a 1990 when the Ag Pro seed box is added. Great tool for Garbanzo Beans…the Ag Pro
   Meter.

12. Air Brakes from Needham relieve air pressure for improved seed delivery.

13. Install the latest 1910 Deere towers with orifice coefficient design.

14. Consider Needham seed splitters for Deere Towers.

15. Set up the down pressure circuit to produce 600 pounds per opener and “Go to school” and seed deeper…seed at least 2.5 inches in heavy
residue conditions. The Deere 1890 opener allows deeper seeding in heavy residue with the unique narrow seed firming wheel and the 20 point
Martin closing wheel design. Infrared light can penetrate much deeper when the seed is not packed from the soil surface. The Deere 1890 works
very well when the seed is delivered into the “Buffered Zone” at the 2.25 inch to 2.5 inch depth. Do not add row cleaners…. producers have best
results with deeper seedings in heavy residue…The opener can do it. A review of the combine spreading should be carried out each harvest
season.

Taking Yield to the Limit.

16. Install Exactrix Wing Injection and apply TAPPS. Apply TAPPS with Humic Acid or apply TAPPKTS with Humic acid and micros. $275 per opener.

17. Install banding only Series 4 scrapers with Exactrix TAPPS formulator tubes. Two pass the nutrient application. Band in the fall for spring crops, Band
into growing wheat or sod in the late fall and early spring. $150 per opener.

18.     Making the above changes will change the recommended seed rate….most likely seed rate is now too high if the above adjustments have been
   made. Since the germination and emergence is more uniform the seed rate will need to adjusted with a series of test plots. Once uniformity is
   employed with near perfect seed depth, seeding at the proper seed rate could easily pay for the entire drill and the all the above changes.

19. Exactrix will pay $1,000 for any test plot submitted under STEEP criteria. Operating the machine with the above improvements could improve the
operation so much that both nutrients and seed rates need to be adjusted. Old techniques and rates may no longer apply. Some producers could
easily be beyond the economic point of diminishing returns and on the back side of yield curve.

Typically producers consider the Deere 1890 as a seeder….the 1890 is also a good Pre-Plant Bander for corn production. The machines are set up on 10,12, and 15 inch band spacing or Exactrix wing injection is used on 10 and 15 inch spacing…….and the 1890 can also side dress winter wheat at the lowest cost per acre. Lower owning cost is realized since the same machine is covering up to 3 times more acres. Large operators may have a dedicated single disc banding tool bar…smaller operators can use their 1890 to cover more acres in a dual purpose utilization.

Lowering Banding Costs, Increasing Ground speeds to 9 mph.

Banding into heavy residue is much more effective when the 1890 can run 4 to 5 times longer between repairs. Maybe as high as 60,000 acres with a 60 foot machine before repairs. Thus lowering banding and fuel costs to the lowest common denominator. Use the accumulator ride control to set down-pressure from the cab.

No-tillage Deep Banding….and in all cases with the Ultra Endurance 1890 the new machine design will go to 5 inch depth with virtually no soil disturbance in very difficult soil conditions.

Reviewing the 1890 seeding at 7.5 inch and 6 inch. The Fisher 1890, 42.5 foot machine.

In 2011 at Fisher, Minnesota, a 15 inch band spacing was implemented with the 7.5 inch 1890 drill utilizing Exactrix Wing Injection on 34 rear gang openers. The front gang was paired to the dedicated wing injection opener of the back gang.

The 1890, 7.5 inch average rows were paired to 4/11 allowing sunlight to penetrate into the canopy resulting in off row light effect. The machine effectiveness was greatly improved. Both seed rows received uniform nutrient without starving the non wing injected row. This arrangement was also utilized on Yielder Drills using the NP opener in combination with the Swanson offset leading double disc opener or SOLDD. The single disc NP opener seeded and banded and offset leading double disc or SOLDD only seeded. This Dual Opener arrangement (NP plus SOLDD) was considered by many producers as the best possible compromise for all seeding conditions.

The same Deere 1890 with Exactrix wing injection of 15 inch centers was utilized for Pre-plant banding of TAPPS for sugar beets and corn by raising the front gang and banding to the maximum depth with the rear gang only. Raising the front gang also added additional machine weight.

This particular arrangement was further improved in the fall of 2011 by adding Exactrix steel hubs and coulters to the back gang. The John Deere Free Link was removed by adding spacers.

The Red River Valley, Fisher 1890 was further improved by changing the hydraulic cylinders to 4 inch diameter SAE with the standard 8 inch stroke. The 2.5 inch and 3 inch cylinders were deleted since they can not produce enough down pressure at maximum operating pressure on the outside opener wings.

The 7.5 inch drill can be adapted to Exactrix TAPPS…by setting the machine up as a single pass machine applying and seeding as paired row 4/11.

The 7.5 inch machine can also be set up single pass and band on 15 inch row spacing for winter wheat and crops such as Winter Canola.

The 15 inch banding arrangement with 19.1 inch coulters, steel hubs and larger hydraulic cylinders can be set up to side dress the established winter crops in late fall or early spring.

The advantage of 15 inch band spacing with 7.5 inch row spacing is also observed in establishment and fertilization of alfalfa and high yielding winter canola under center pivots.

Reviewing the 1895 at 30 feet, The Genesee 1895.

A Deere 1895 equipped with Exactrix TAPPS at Genesee, Idaho has proven to be an admirable, high yielding machine because of adequate machine weight when seeding and banding. In the spring of 2011 the 1895 was converted to Exactrix 19.1 inch x 5/16 inch coulters with steel hubs. The experiment was carried out to improve band depth to improve endurance and hopefully take a bit higher yield as a result of the 5 inch banding capability.

Some of the field wide averages with the 1895 exceeded 125 bushels per acre at the dryland winter wheat harvest in 2011.

The Genesee 1895 weighs 185% more than a standard 1895. A standard 1890 weighs in from the factory at 24,000 pounds. The Genesee 1895 weighs 42,000 pounds loaded…18,000 more pounds than the standard 1895. With the NH3 tank empty, the Ag-Pro equipped machine weighs 32,500 pounds.

The Genesee 1895 loaded can produce 777 pounds per opener with positive down pressure on the wings. The seeder has 54 total openers with 36 seeding and 18 banding….The Deere banding openers MRB have been modified with Exactrix steel hubs and Yielder manganese steel blades allowing the machine to produce superior economics in the range of 125 to 150 bushels per acre of winter wheat.

The reason for the coulter blade change was the Deere factory 3/16 carbon blades were not durable. The factory 3/16 carbon blades would bend and deflect the cast iron hubs when operating on steep Palouse Hills. The 3/8 carriage bolts would snap or the cast iron hub would break when operating the Deere 1895 on 50% compound angle slopes. These are tough conditions requiring a belted 75 tractor such as a Caterpillar Challenger for the 30 foot machine. The change to the articulated 450 hp Case Quad track did not improve the MRB cast hub breakage problem.

The discovery by producer Eric Odberg was the larger 19.1 inch Exactrix Yielder manganese steel blade produced superior performance on slopes and plus the additional depth of penetration of the opener. In fact the band depth was observed at 5 inches as measured in soil slot in the field conditions of spring 2011.

In the fall of 2011 the full force of the machine was utilized at 777 pounds per opener to deep band and seed the winter wheat crop. Difficult conditions for sure and much improved performance for the operator.

The Exactrix hub and coulter blade change was a major achievement. The Genesee 1895 did have improved slope stability. The Exactrix steel hub in combination with the 5/16 Yielder coulter blade would hold the machine on the hillside without damage to the soil or a slide out of the machine.

Meet your customer needs.

Brian Downing of Colby, KS requested help with the Deere 1890 at 40 feet in the summer of 2011.

After reviewing all of the above challenges Brian Downing went all the way with changes on a new 1890 and built a powerful 1890 Ultra Endurance, Exactrix wing injection, banding and seeding opener in a 48 opener array and with three section boom control with ISO-Bus. The RTK guidance with sub one inch accuracy was utilized with Deere iGuide steering.

If you are looking for the most advanced 1890 built specifically to No-till winter wheat into heavy,irrigated, corn residue go to www.exactrix.com/EOYT.htm and click on the Downing 1890.

Further stated the 1890 series drills are in need of improvement and can bring up to 20 more bushels per acre in winter wheat production when the machine is properly tuned up to meet producers needs.

A lot of money can be generated for the producer….following the Yielder Guidelines set down over 34 years ago. Following these guidelines will improve your production and net dollars substantially.

Meeting the Needs of the Most Advanced Corn, Soybean and Wheat Producers.
Click on images to enlarge

Minor crops considered in rotation. Approved for canola, mustard, flax, peas, lentils, chickpeas, edible beans, safflower, oats, barley & alfalfa.

Exactrix Injector Wings offer ideal positional and chemical access to placed nutrients.
Get three times the utilization from your original Deere 1850, 1860, 1890, 1690, and 1560/1590. Use your Deere single disc airseeder and no-till drill 3 times per year in pre plant corn, winter wheat or spring wheat fertilization and seeding, and soybean fertilization and seeding.
Each seed row has a dedicated band of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, secondary and micronutrients.
Placement is 1.5” to the side and up to 3” below the seed for radicle and seminal hair root access.
Weeds never have a chance at placed fertility.
The seeder requires no mid-row banders for wheat production.
Mid-row banding can starve the crop and feed the weeds…..A great improvement in fertilizer efficiency and weed control.
Machine design remains simple.
Guaranteed safe placement of toxic nutrients in dilute NH3 bands with the Exactrix 2KD and 2KF metering systems.
Dual placement of APP, 10-34-0 and 11-37-0 with Thio-Sul® and Micronutrients forms tri-ammonium phosphate. Thee most available form of P.
Normal yield increases of 10% to 20% in pre-plant corn cropping systems. Band spacings of 7.5”, 10” and 15” are now possible.
Exceptional performance with tap rooted crops such as soybeans and canola.

Single Disc Opener, Deere/Exactrix Injector Wing Review.

Make sure you order the video of the Exactrix Wing Injection system for your Deere 1690 and 1890 airseeders and 1590 no-till drills.

Great Plains And Canadian Prairies Small Grain Production.

The yellow tape ruler represents the lateral seed row. The liquid NH3 and APP/Thio-Sul® (10-34-0/Thio-Sul®) is dual placed in a tight concentrated band to side and below the seed row. A terminal injection orifice is used to drive the NH3 into the soil at least 2 inches below the seed to a 3 to 4 inch soil depth in a vertical band column. The horizontal separation is 1.5 inches to the side of the dedicated seed row.

The APP/Thio-Sul® is released with a terminal-stripping orifice. The terminal stripping orifice organizes the APP/Thio-Sul® into a liquid lateral band column, which chemically combines, with the NH3 to form Tri-Ammonium Polyphosphate Sulfate (TAPPS). The toxic charge is safely located in exact alignment with row and safely away from the germination zone and the seminal/radicle root cap. A 7.5-inch row spacing application of NH3 in wheat production is typical at one pint of liquid NH3 injected in 600 feet of travel. The band of NH3 is extremely dilute and this allows the P and S to be readily absorbed by the plant root system in the first 30 days. The NH3 direct injection system from Exactrix allows this precision plant food placement to be possible. Picture 2 and 12.

The 1860 split boot seed opener is shown and is drilled with 25/64” cobalt drill supplied with the Exactrix Injector Wing. A drill template is also supplied for the 1850, 1860, and 1890 to exactly center the mounting holes. Ample clearance is allowed for the firming wheel. Stainless steel tubes are mounted to Exactrix Injection Wing for added protection. A stainless steel shield is added to protect the tubes from damage from corn or sunflower stalks. A carbide insert provides excellent wear life at the wing tip injection point. The carbide insert extends the wear life beyond the seed boot wear life.

4. A root system view of wheat, barley or oats shows the ideal position for the radicle and seminal hair roots to access the placed plant food. As the cereal plant emerges the root system is absorbing nutrients. The plant radicle root is normally twice as long as the first leaf. This means that the fine hair roots have accessed the placed nutrients and especially the critical phosphate nutrient in the first 7 to 15 days after seeding of the crop. Cross Row Feeding can also be set up allowing double site access to placed Tri-ammonium polyphosphate sulfate. The openers are arranged opposite and facing at the front and rear gang. The openers are aligned 6” apart in a center line from the front and rear gang. This paired row effect leaves the canopy more open allowing for lower canopy humidity levels and better light penetration to the outside rows. The outside light row or edge row effect is produced.

A right hand Deere 1890 opener is shown with the Exactrix Injector Wing, item 26. The 1890 has a different drill hole pattern than the 1860 and 1850. The seed boot, item 24, is set in the middle mounting position of the opener frame. The correct mounting exposes about 1” to 1.5” of the blade, item 20, at bottom dead center. The firming wheel, item 28, easily clears the Exactrix Injection Wing, item 26. The stainless steel delivery tubes are formed to precisely clear the opener works. The stainless steel delivery tubes protect the NH3 black nylon injection lines and APP blue polypropylene injection lines from flying residue. The closing wheel, item 30, directs loose surface soil over the seed row and banded area. Atmospheric loss of NH3 has not been observed primarily due to the dilute, high pressure, injection of Exactrix NH3. The NH3 injection lines do not freeze.

A rear view of the Deere single disc opener shows the Exactrix Injector Wing mounted to the seed boot. The Exactrix Injection Wing is located within the event horizon of the blade angle. The wing is formed outward below the soil surface to direct the toxic charge away from the seed row.

After the passage of the opener the soil cross section appears in Fig. 9. A soil berm, item B, is formed by the opener combination. The berm provides a visual dividing line between the seed boot area and the Exactrix Injector Wing area. The NH3, item N, is placed in a non-fractured soil column in a vertical band. The high velocity of the low mass, hydrogen/oxygen reactive, NH3 burns in deeper much like a cutting torch cuts steel. The APP/Thio-Sul®, item P, is low pressure placed (stripping orifice) at the center of the NH3 band forming Tri-ammonium polyphosphate sulfate, thee most available form of phosphate. The addition of Thio-Sul® slightly acidifies the placed nutrient band slowing the conversion of NH4 to mobile nitrate. Thio-Sul® feeds the plant with sulfur. Sulfur is critical in plant protein production. When Thio-Sul® is used, N-serve can be deleted because of the delayed conversion to nitrate. The nitrate converting “soil bugs” will feed on the slightly acidic band of nutrients at a very slow rate. Remember that cereal and legume crops prefer amminical nitrogen. Crops such as corn can not use nitrate nitrogen in the first 3 weeks. Nitrate is not recommended in cereal crop production due to nitrate’s high cost and marginal use by the plant. Anhydrous ammonia always outperforms all other fertilizer types when accurately and uniformly applied (low CV), properly placed, and immediately sealed in crop production.

A plan view of the Deere 1890 seeder with Exactrix Injector Wings shows the ideal band alignment with each seed row. Each seed row has it’s own dedicated, uniform, nutrient band located to the side and below each seed row. This is similar to 2 x 2 placement recommended by university agronomists and used on 30” spacing planters. Several advantages are produced with dedicated bands.

The machine becomes more cost effective since an additional $30,000 to $35,000 of investment is not required for a separate set of mid-row banding units and frame work.
The machine is more maneuverable in tight corners and field entry.
Less weight is required for penetration since the Exactrix Direct Injection System burns the NH3 into the soil 2 inches deeper with 1.5 horsepower per injection point.
Opener maintenance is less since an entire set of mid-row banding units is not needed.
Yields tend to be greater with Exactrix Injector Wings than mid-row banding systems. This is because only the seeded crop can use the placed fertility. Weeds are starved and the crop thrives. Nutrient uptake is much more rapid for short season crops.
Mid-row banding seeders have difficulty with turning since the band center and seed row center relationship becomes undesirable in the turn. The overall length of machine is increased about 8 to 10 feet with mid-row banders. When turning the inside row feeds readily at the inside radius of the band….the outside row or the wide radius row starves for nutrients. In very sharp turns the wide outside radius seed row can actually be on top of a concentrated 20-inch band of NH3 because of the extra machine length and resulting band misalignment. The toxic 20-inch band can easily damage the outside conjoined row. This is also why only 10 inch seed row, mid row 20 inch band center machines are produced. Yielder Drills are the only known machines to seed on 7.5 inch centers and band of 15 inch centers. This is because of the short floating tool bar arrangement and close rank of the openers keeps the seed rows in alignment with the nutrient bands.

The Exactrix Injector Wing is shown as a single product liquid NH3 injector. Flathead stainless steel socket set screws and nuts are used to mount the Exactrix Injector Wing.

For 7.5 inch and 10” band spacing 3/16 inch outside diameter, 500 psi, black nylon line is used. For 12 inch and 15 inch band spacing ¼” outside diameter, 500 psi, black nylon line is used. The Exactrix Injector Wing comes complete with chrome insert, stainless steel protection tube, sunflower shield, line coupler, and mounting hardware.

9. The Exactrix Injector Wing is shown as a dual product injector. A second stainless steel delivery tube is added behind the NH3 injector. A pressed in stripping orifice spins the APP/Thio-Sul® into a solid stream and places the material directly at the center of the NH3 band. The stripping orifice does not meter the APP/Thio-Sul®. The metering occurs at the dual stage, high pressure, Delta P manifold. Two line sizes are used. When band spacing is 7.5 inch and 10 inch a ¼ inch blue polypropylene line is used with the 3/16” black NH3 nylon injection line. When band spacing is 12 inch and 15 inch a 3/8 inch blue polypropylene line is used in conjunction with the black ¼” NH3 injection line. A quick disconnect, low pressure, flow check valve is used at the end of the stainless steel APP/Thio-Sul® tube to mount the blue polypropylene injection line. The Exactrix Injector Wing comes complete with chrome insert, two stainless steel delivery and protection tubes, sunflower shield, two line couplers and check valve, and mounting hardware.

10. Special Applications Reviewed: The Exactrix Injection Wing is shown as a triple product injector and dry material/seed delivery arrangement. The seed and dry material delivery tube, item 204, is located 1.5 inches away for the primary crop seed row. The tube is used primarily for nurse crop establishment of perennial grasses and biennial legumes.

A co-host trap crop such as Oriental Yellow Mustard (Pacific Gold) can also be established for suppression of nematodes, insects, and antagonistic soil fungus. Suppression of soybean cyst nematode, a very recent development, can be expected but has to date not been widely applied with co-host trap cropping in soybean crop production. A separate seed metering system is required with the addition of the third tube for seed delivery. Mustard meal and small amounts of KCL can also be applied with this stainless steel tube. The Exactrix Injector Wing comes complete with chrome insert, three stainless steel delivery and protection tubes, sunflower shield, two line couplers and check valve and mounting hardware. In steep slopes of the Palouse region of the PNW a hillside seed shield, item 202, is offered to maintain the seed position on 65% compound angle slopes.

Exactrix agronomists always tests their systems on various crops to assure safety and performance. Flax is used as the base line indicator crop on high pH soils. Flax is the most sensitive of all crops to NH3 germination damage. Neil Power of Langdon, North Dakota stands in a flax field that was tested at a 2X rate of NH3 using Exactrix Injector Wings. Canola is also a sensitive crop. A typical canola stand is shown using Exactrix Injector Wings.

Soybean and Corn Rotation. Double Cropping Soybeans is more attractive.

Finally a pre-plant, narrow band spacing, corn fertilization tool bar that just happens to also seed and fertilize soybeans…..No-till.

12. Soybeans often starve for nitrogen in the first 60 days. The soybean plant needs 60 pounds of N in the top 2 feet of the soil profile. Less N means a poor start and a yield reduction. This explains why double-cropping soybeans on wheat ground does not prove up to full potential. Placed P and S with secondary and micronutrients is now possible because the tap rooted crop can access fertility through the radicle hair roots. The producer can select blend of solution 32 or 28 with APP/Thio-Sul®. Avoid applying more than 20 pounds of N as 32 or 28 due to leaching and economics.

If N requirements are quite high NH3 can also be direct injected and dual placed. Soybeans on narrow rows can feed on nutrients as the plant emerges and the root system develops. Protein levels of soybeans can be increased to 36% and higher with this unique Exactrix Wing Injection. Higher protein soybeans mean a more desirable export crop. NP and S are key in building Protein. Liquid molybdenum can be applied with zinc, boron, copper and iron. Soybeans use the leveraged fertility while the weeds starve.

In corn production a major yield barrier breakthrough occurs when band spacing is reduced utilizing pre-plant fertilization. The most desirable band spacing for corn is 7.5 inch when dual placing N and P. The synergism of dual placement is amplified by a factor of 4 times. This is because nutrients can be accessed by the corn root system at four locations rather than just one location. This also makes secondary and micronutrients more effective. Corn can be immediately planted behind the Deere 1890 and 1690 because the NH3 bands have become dilute and non-injurious to the corn root system. Immediate planting after application really adds to the crop productivity. The narrow band spacing approach has been time proven in Ontario as well as Nebraska. This allows for better nitrogen efficiency

since now the NH3 can be applied just before planting. Leaching potential is drastically reduced over fall application of NH3. No-tillage is required after dual placing. Always dual place nutrients with no following tillage. Always apply the nutrients on narrow bands and then plant.

UNL and Nebraska producers are setting much higher yield goals. Hopefully, yields in the 300 bushel per acre range are repeatable using such techniques as dual placement, narrow band centers, VRT, RTK guidance, selective watering techniques, narrow plant rows, and no-tillage pre-plant placement of nutrients. This picture shows the condition of the corn crop, August 2003, using the Exactrix, dual placement and a Deere 1690 as a pre-plant no-till applicator.

Exactrix owners normally install the Exactrix system over a 3-day period when dual product systems are installed to the Deere 1690 or 1890. The installation is faster since Exactrix pre-builds and tests the systems on turntable mounts. The trailer tow hitch is also available as an option on the 2KD “Weigh Master”. The control system is CANBUS. The control is capable of mapping the fields as the material is applied. You can also order the control system with VRT and RTK guidance. Custom application of nutrients often requires a higher level of service. Exactrix knows your tractor seat time produces income. The top of the line Legacy 6000 control system is standard on dual product applications. The Exactrix initial investment is paid back in the first year. Custom applicators budget $70,000 to $80,000 for the most advanced versions. Since the nutrients are applied at 10 mph at 42.5 feet high NH3 flow rates result. Thus bottom outlet valve NH3 tanks are required for accuracy and cold weather performance. Auto Farm RTK guidance is available for roll, pitch, and yaw corrections in rolling country. You can apply nutrients right to the centimeter if you so desire.

The Exactrix 2KD “Weigh Master” is a dynamic scale and weighs the NH3 as it is applied. Port to port accuracy’s are sub 1% CV in all temperature and flow ranges because the NH3 is injected as a liquid and weighed as mass flow. Actual custody transfer is available at delivered field wide applied rates of within 10 pounds of NH3 in 10,000 pounds of NH3 applied…. This is more accurate than a mechanical scale. This allows you to change fields without weighing tanks. Dual Exactrix NH3 manifolds can applied to the 2KD “Weigh Master” to split the machine into two application units. This is more efficient on point rows and irregular lands. Normally dual manifolds are used on machine widths of 40 feet or greater.

The Delta P liquid phosphate, APP/Thio-Sul® system uses a high-pressure diaphragm pump to meter APP/Thio-Sul® over a wide pressure and flow range. The dual stage manifold is the key with the high-pressure range of the pump. Once the system is set up no orifice changes are required due to the dual staging manifold. The liquid APP/Thio-Sul® is actually delivered at a very low pressure after the Delta P manifold to the Exactrix Injector Wing. Low-pressure injection at the injection point using stripping orifices avoids splash back of the material. Dual Delta P manifolds can be used on wide airseeders to split the machine into two application units.

Nebraska, Ideal no-till seed bed results with 15" band spacing dual applied, Deere 1690

Kansas, Ideal no-till seed bed results with 10" band spacing , Deere 1850

Summary: The Deere 1890, 1690 and 1590 seeders can be utilized around the year with Exactrix Injector Wing technology. Up to 3 times better utilization of machine is possible. Nutrients can now be placed no-till with no seed bed disturbance. Timing of nitrogen and phosphate is critical to top yields. Fall fertilization locks the producer in when changes occur in markets and the federal farm program. NH3 can now be placed just before planting. When nutrients are placed more timely and more accurately, the actual cost per bushel is reduced. Exactrix systems apply 30% to 40% more crop useable nitrogen. Delta P systems apply 10% to 25% more crop useable phosphate. Crop proteins can be increased. Weed control is enhanced. Tri-ammonium polyphosphate sulfate can be formulated producing most available form of plant food. Biological control can be implemented with co-host trap cropping. Nurse cropping can be implemented. The negative environmental aspects of nitrate leaching and loss of phosphate to the rivers and streams is more manageable.

Natural gas, atmospheric nitrogen and electricity are utilized to produce 1,500 tons per day of NH3 at a West Coast manufacturing plant.

The feasibility of producing NH3 from coal was carried out in the 1970's by the TVA. Syngas is produced from the coal to make ammonia.

National Public Radio reports that low cost Anhydrous Ammonia is the single greatest technical development of the last 200 years. At least 2 times more land in the US would need to be in production to feed only our citizens if low cost Anhydrous Ammonia was not available. Millions of lives have been saved or improved around the world with the commercial availability of NH3, Anhydrous Ammonia. Two Nobel Prizes have been awarded to Haber and later Bosch for developing the manufacturing process of low cost NH3. A third Nobel Prize was awarded to Norman Borlaug for improved crop genetics that help feed a hungry world. Borlaug’s Green Revolution would have not been possible without the availability of low cost NH3 to fuel the genetic performance.

Considering all the technical achievements of the last 200 years it is almost unbelievable that NH3, Anhydrous Ammonia leads over such technical developments such as penicillin, harnessing the atom, air and land transportation, the human genome, and the computer. Not one technical development on this planet has affected your life more than low cost, Anhydrous Ammonia, NH3. Feeding a hungry planet with protein and carbohydrates is absolutely paramount in the development of our societies. The rise and fall of previous societies were directly related to soil productivity.

NH3, Anhydrous Ammonia reduces soil erosion by reducing arable acres. Mineralization of organic matter is produced by tillage releasing organic nitrogen. Soil tillage “stirs the fire” by introducing excessive oxygen into the topsoil layer causing an organic nitrogen release into the soil profile. The organic nitrogen release or mineralization is used by growing crops. Summer fallow farming practiced by the western pioneers and homesteaders provided the critical nitrogen to raise new crops.