Seed Hawk TOOLBAR 2013 45 & XL SERIES - Manual (Page 46)

SEED HAWK® TOOLBAR OPERATOR’S MANUAL 46
4.15 SIDE BANDING W/ANHYDROUS AMMONIA WHILE SEEDING
WARNING! Use extreme caution when applying anhydrous ammonia fertilizer.
Inhalation, skin and/or eye contact, or skin penetration can cause serious health
problems. Seek medical attention immediately if coming into contact with anhydrous
ammonia.
Extreme caution must be exercised when side banding with anhydrous ammonia (NH
3
). If the
separation distance between the seed and the NH
3
is not sufficient, the germinating seedling
can be damaged.
Several factors affect how far from the point of injection in the soil NH
3
will move:
 NH
3
will move farther in dry soils than wet soils. Hilltops tend to have lower soil
moisture content and are therefore more susceptible to NH
3
travel.
 NH
3
will move farther in light textured soils (e.g., sandy soils) than in heavier textured
soils (e.g., clay soils).
 NH
3
will move farther in soils with low organic matter.
 If the soil is lumpy or not closing behind the knives, NH
3
can move more quickly through
the cracks or between the lumps of soil.
 Higher concentrations of NH
3
will cause the product to move farther in the soil.
OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER:
Some crops are more sensitive to NH
3
burn. Generally, oilseed and pulse crops are more
sensitive than cereal crops.
Turning, while seeding, can vary the relative position of the seed and fertilizer knives. This
results in a larger separation of seed and NH
3
.
When the fertilizer knife trips, it raises the injection point of the NH
3
and may affect the
separation of the seed and NH
3
.