A method for verifying the uniformity in fertilizer dispenser flow

Abstract

The success of crops is directly related to effective planting and fertilization, especially regarding yield factors like plants per area and final yield. Thorough evaluations are vital to understanding modern methods in these operations. Current regulations and their broaden scope highlight the need for more specific approaches. This study aimed to validate a new method for assessing the effectiveness of helical and fluted dosing mechanisms with two granulated fertilizer formulations (04-14-08 [GF1] and 04-30-10 [GF2]) at different speeds (4, 7, and 10 km/h) in a controlled setting. We collected flow data, organized it, checked for normality, and subjected it to variance analysis. The fluted dispenser showed better flow at 4 km/h and 7 km/h. The GF1 formulation produced higher flows in both dispensers, with the helical design outperforming. The flow for GF1 increased linearly with speed. For GF2, the best flow rate was at 7 km/h. In summary, our new method effectively evaluated the factors under study, offering insights into the function and potential improvements of the technologies used.