Feeding the world’s growing population
New Zealand’s reputation as a quality food producer is growing.
The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand promotes and encourages responsible and scientifically-based nutrient management.
Weather conditions can significantly affect both the containment of fertiliser on the application site and the evenness of application within this site. The importance of weather conditions depends on the form of fertiliser, the application method and equipment used.
Recommendations and nutrient management plans from fertiliser and agricultural consultants assume the fertiliser material will be spread evenly and accurately over the target area at the target application rate. Poor spreading can negate the best management plans and result in significant production losses and pollution of waterways.
Ground based application includes a wide range of application methods to apply a vast array of fertiliser products, requiring careful matching of equipment and technique to the fertiliser and production system.
Spreading operators must understand the spreading characteristics of all products they spread, and how their equipment and equipment settings affect spreading performance. For example, products may be solid (free flowing particles or mass material) or fluid (solutions, suspensions, slurries). Particle sizes in free flowing solid fertilisers typically range from less than 1mm to over 5mm in diameter. When ejected laterally from spreading equipment, particles of different sizes have different ballistic trajectories and therefore variable spreading patterns. Particle shape also varies but is usually near spherical in manufactured products. Particle shape, density and surface roughness all affect the flowability of the product.
There are two broad types of ground based spreading equipment:
Factors that may affect ground based fertiliser spreading performance:
The application of fertiliser from ground based machinery should comply with the Code of Practice for the Placement of Fertiliser in New Zealand (Spreadmark).
In many situations, aerial application is the only practical means of applying fertiliser. Where fertiliser is applied by air, the minimum acceptable standards for evenness of spreading should be the same as for other application methods used on similar classes of land. Where the risk of environmental contamination is low, higher CV values for evenness of distribution may be acceptable.
Keys to quality aerial topdressing include:
The aerial application of fertiliser should comply with the Code of Practice for the Placement of Fertiliser in New Zealand (Spreadmark), Part The Aerial Spreadmark Code.
The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and Dairy NZ funded development of the Nutrient Management Adviser Certification Programme (NMACP). This industry-wide certification aims to ensure that advisers have the learning, experience and capability to give sound nutrient advice.
25 January 2022
Final-year Lincoln University PhD candidate Kirstin Deuss is the 2021 recipient of the NZ Society of Soil Science/Fertiliser Association of NZ Postgraduate Bursary Award.
The award recognises the efforts and present (or likely) contribution to New Zealand soil science arising from a doctorate study. It carries a $5,000 one-year stipend.
Kirstin holds a BSC in Biomedical Science from Victoria University of Wellington and an MSC in Horticultural Science from the Technical University of Munich, Free University of Bozen (Italy) and the University of Bologna.
Her postgraduate research has seen her lead a long-term field study on soil and catchment hydrology in Southland. The findings will help understand the role mole and tile drains play in Southland’s unique landscape.
“I’m thrilled to have been selected as the recipient of the NZSSS Fertiliser Association Postgraduate Bursary, it is an honour that I will cherish for the rest of my career,” says Kirstin. “I love working with soils and my career objective is to apply my field, research and management skills towards supporting the sustainable management of New Zealand’s soil resources.”
“My PhD has been challenging but also so rewarding, and this award is a real confidence boost as I prepare to start my new career at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research in February. I wouldn't be where I am without the support of my many great mentors, friends and colleagues, who have given me so much of their time and energy to help turn ideas into reality and put it all into the written word!
“It's truly been the best experience of my life and I am really looking forward to where it is going to take me.”
Kirstin was nominated by Peter Almond, Associate Professor, Department of Soil and Physical Sciences at Lincoln University. He described her to the judging panel as a “highly adept scientist capable of complex quantitative analysis of soil-hydrological systems”.
“I think she is a deserving recipient. The prestige of the award would further her goal of securing a position working professionally in soil science in New Zealand so that she can contribute to environmental sustainability of our primary industries.”
Fertiliser Association chief executive Vera Power described Kirstin’s research as “hugely important”.
“The more we can understand what’s happening in our soils and catchments, the better placed our primary sector will be to improve farm management, all while protecting the environment.”
24 November 2021
The primary sector has a key role to play in helping achieve global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining food security. This requires low-emission production systems, with increased efficiencies and the use of new mitigation technologies.
Investment in the development and adoption of new technologies requires a clear regulatory pathway to market. We will need to work internationally with trading nations and also locally with existing qualified networks within the agricultural community for the extension and adoption of new mitigations.
You can read our submission in full here.
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