Doing The Math On Fertigation New calculator helps producers figure liquid fertilizer flow rate, injection pump settings and a schedule for center-pivot fertigation.
T
he days of manually calculating numbers on spreadsheets to determine how much liquid fertilizer should be used to fertigate row crops may soon be gone, thanks to a new web-based calculator from Clemson University. The Clemson center-pivot fertigation calculator is designed to help producers make more precise fertilizer applications, saving money and increasing crop productivity. The app was developed by Clemson precision agriculture engineer Kendall Kirk, with help from South Carolina farmers. “This resource was created to help producers calculate the flow rate of liquid fertilizer and injection pump settings needed to fertigate through a center-pivot irrigation system,” Kirk says. “It is designed to make the math a little easier.” Making The Math ‘A Little Easier’ Information required includes fertilizer formulation, pivot size, pivot travel time, fertilizer rate and injection pump man-
ufacturer/model. After the information has been inputted, the calculator determines liquid fertilizer flow rate required to supply the needed nutrients, as well as rate per acre of each fertilizer component and the recommended injection pump setting. The calculator also creates a fertigation schedule. Results and direct links to the inputs can be sent to the producer’s email address. Ben Fogle, Clemson precision agriculture technician, says the calculator is convenient in that it can be used anywhere internet is available. “A producer in the field can use the fertigation calculation app on their phone,” Fogle says. “It can also be used on a tablet or computer.” Kirk says, “We developed the center-pivot fertigation calculator after a grower called and wanted instructions on how to set up his fertigation system. We realized a lot of calculations are involved when growers fertigate, and we could make people’s lives a lot easier if we could give them a system that could calculate some of these things for them.”
Clemson researchers have developed a new app farmers can use to optimize liquid fertilizers used to feed crops through irrigation systems.
20 /
THE PEANUT GROWER • NOVEMBER 2021
PEANUTGROWER.COM
