gypsum and precision technology experience
TRANSCRIPT
Precision Ag & Gypsum
Experience
Gypsum: What’s Old is New Again? Gypsum mortar on the
Pyramids Over 200 years ago Ben
Franklin used gypsum “land plaster”
Expensive to mine and transport so the practice was abandoned
Reclaiming drywall gypsum headed for landfills provides a source
$100 Bill
U.S Policy ImpactClean Air Act Requires SO2
ReductionsCoal power plants inject lime to
Scrub sulfur dioxideUses lots of lime & produces
gypsumCheap natural gas reduces coal
use More Air Regulations
Less coal burned = less gypsumClean air = farmers purchase
sulfurGypsum Transport
Policy and Sulfur – Unintended Consequences
Sulfur is an essential ingredient for creating proteins, so high-protein crops (alfalfa, soybean, corn silage) require more sulfur than low-protein producing crops.
Drywall Gypsum – Faster Acting Gypsum is 2 molecules of
crystalline (dry) water & 1 of calcium sulfate
Converted to plaster of paris by grinding and heating to remove 75% of its water
Plaster is rehydrated to slurry
Air entrained - 50% air Corn starch “glue” to paper
Heavy Metals? 17 Years of History Exceeds Clean Fill Requirements
Damp Ag Gypsum19% Calcium
14% Sulfate
0.4% Mag
0.01% Boron
15-19% Moisture
Particle size 5/8” minus
Gypsum Application Challenges
Sticky or DustyFlowabilityTransportationStockpilingEquipment
Gypsum Spreading
Pull Type Lime and Litter Spreader
Pequea SP 550
Load CellsLarge Working WidthFloatation Tires Less Compaction
Custom Spreading
GPS Field Application Mapping
Precise Mapping For Even Spread
Automatic Shut Off for a Preset Percentage of Overlap
Record Boundary For Prescription
Speed and Working Time
Variable Rate Control
Test plot with different rates
Load cells allow controller to adjust web flow for speed variations
Pre-start function allows web to feed material to spinners until speed obtained
Great record for Harvest information
Layered Data
Test plot with variable gypsum rate and harvest data on top
Harvest Mapping
The most important information is your harvest data. It will show how your crop performed. Allowing you to concentrate on problem areas and justify your investments.
Field Harvest Data with two similar field elevations and soil variables.
16 Bushel Difference?Why?
Highest yielding green areas – 38 Bushels per Acre Difference.
Soil Sampling Grids
Each grid is a separately bagged and tested
Calcium lbs. Per Acre – Optimum 2,000 to 5,000Soil Tests taken on
Nov. 21, 2015
Fields 12-13 No GypsumAverage – 4,581
Lowest – 4,255Highest – 5,302
Fields 17-18DAverage – 2,365
Lowest – 1,781Highest – 2,604
Soil Tests taken on Jan. 4, 2017
Fields 12-13 No Gypsum
Average – 6,290Lowest – 5,118Highest – 7,727
Fields 17-18DAverage – 3,284
Lowest – 2,759Highest – 3,666
Sulfur Parts per Million – Optimum 15 to 25
Soil Tests taken on Nov. 21, 2015
Fields 12-13 No GypsumAverage – 14.42
Lowest – 10.70Highest – 16.82
Fields 17-18DAverage – 10.44
Lowest – 8.94Highest – 11.84
Soil Tests taken on Jan. 4, 2017
Fields 12-13 No GypsumAverage – 11.44
Lowest – 6.84Highest – 12.88
Fields 17-18DAverage – 20.99
Lowest – 12.73Highest – 34.2
Yield Results 2016 Corn HarvestFields 12-13 No Gypsum
Average – 137Lowest – 56
Highest – 217$603 Revenue per acre
at $4.40 per bushel
Fields 17-18DAverage – 153Lowest – 71
Highest – 255$673 Revenue per acre
at $4.40 per bushel
It does not take much to pull your Yield Average down!
When all Nutrients are atOptimum Levels…Crops Yield More
Crops Handle Growing Season Stress Better
Test for MicronutrientsOnly test for those you will manage.
For Corn-SulfurZincBoron
For Soybeans-• Sulfur• Zinc• Boron• Mangane
se
Grid Soil SamplingandZone Soil Sampling
WHY?A whole field soil sample only gives
you a general idea about that field
With Grid and Zone Sampling
More Samples = More IndicatorsDiscover Hidden Areas in the Field
Low Soil pHHigh PhosphorusLow Potassium
Grid Soil Sampling Map
New Technology!
Arriving to the area this year
Aerial Imagery from an Airplane 1 photo covers 1 sq. mile 3 images acquired Advanced Digital Vegetation
Index Visual Image – 12 inch
resolution Thermal Image – detects
temperature variations to 3/100th of a degree Celsius
Advanced VegetationIndex
Uses Full Spectrum Color from near Infrared band through Ultraviolet band
12 inch Resolution
Thermal Imagery reads relative plant temperature
Plants under stress appear as warmer, like having a “fever”
This Technology Will Detect Developing Crop Problems Several Weeks in Advance
Insects
Disease
Weed Pressure
What This Technology Delivers to You…
Early Crop Stress Warning
Plant Growth and Health Indications
More Time for Action
The Ability for Prescription Spraying
Thermal Visual ADVI
Image acquired on 6-13-2016 at 9:36 AM
Thermal Visual ADVI
Image acquired on 6-27-2016 at 8:57 AM
Thermal Visual ADVI
Image acquired on 7-15-2016 at 10:03 AM
Aerial Images acquired every 2 weeksduring the growing season
Images delivered within 24 hours after acquisition
10 flights or 5 flights throughout the growing season
Cost per Acre – Less than a Custom Applied Fungicide Application
Attention to DetailShows in the Yield!
Thank You!