Injection Pumps: A Great Tool to Add to Your Irrigation System
Most any successful business that operates in a capitalist economy searches for ways to increase efficiency and improve their bottom line. I like to think of an injection pump as a way to increase the value of a center pivot. If you are applying fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or any of the above, you may be able to utilize your center pivot as an applicator. Many, if not all, of these crop products are applied in solution and generally need water to work. How much easier can it get? While watering, include a precise amount of product into your center pivot irrigation system, eliminate another trip across the field and improve effectiveness and timing. In so many other parts of your cropping program you are performing multiple tasks in one pass, why not add efficiency to your irrigation program? Tillage tools often stir up the soil and smooth out the sed bed. Planters often position the seed and apply fertilizer. Combines harvest the seeds and remove the grain from the husk or pod. So why are you limiting your pivot to applying only water?
Key Benefits
Products in solution
Reduces trips with equipment
Allows for timing throughout the growing season
Spoon feed nutrients as needed
May reduce fertilizer units required
Can be used with multiple pivots
Very economical
As an example, let’s look at nitrogen application in corn. Nitrogen is generally considered a major nutrient. Commercial nitrogen fertilizers are usually applied pre-plant, with the planter and or side-dressed. All three of these events are generally before major nutrient demand of the plant occurs. With weather conditions having significant potential impact on available nitrogen at key plant demand, test plots have shown positive results with split applications closer to the V8 to VT stage when half the total demand is needed. Dry conditions tend to leave applied N unavailable while excessive rains can cause leaching and depletion. Since N is only readily absorbed by the roots when in solution, applying your nitrogen with water removes additional risk.
When you invest in a center pivot irrigation system on your farm, you are actually acquiring an applicator. For a small additional investment in an injection pump and storage tank, you can multi-task while improving application timing and quite possibly reducing inputs while increasing yield. That sounds like a win, win, win!
About the Author
Pete is the marketing manager for Michigan Valley Irrigation, having joined the company in 2016. He was raised on a dairy farm in western New York and graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in agricultural economics. His entire working career of over 37 years has been involved in agriculture. A farmer helping farmers. When away from Michigan Valley he operates, Joyful Noise Farm, a small livestock and produce farm and spends time with his family.
