Apparatus and method for no-till inter-row simultaneous application of herbicide and fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop
First Claim
1. An apparatus for simultaneous application of herbicide and fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop in a no-till field, the plants of the standing crop defining a plurality of generally parallel row lines, a standing crop row area being defined around each row line so as to contain the row line of plants and extending between generally parallel edges to each side of the row line, an inter-row area being defined between each pair of adjacent standing crop row areas and extending between the closest edges of the adjacent standing crop row areas, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of inter-row assemblies each configured to pass along one of the inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants, each assembly including;
a fertilizer applicator operable to apply fertilizer to one of the standing crop row areas adjacent the inter-row area without substantial application of fertilizer to the inter-row area;
a no-till soil preparation element operable to prepare soil in the inter-row area for cover crop seeding without forming a furrow, the soil having an upper surface with no-till crop residue disposed thereon, the no-till soil preparation element being operable to generally cut through the crop residue so as to at least break up an upper surface of soil under the residue for cover crop seeding;
a cover crop seed applicator operable to apply cover crop seed across the inter-row area after the soil preparation element;
a post-seeding element operable to at least partially firm the soil and provide seed to soil contact in the inter-row area after the seed applicator applies seed; and
an herbicide applicator operable to apply herbicide to the inter-row area and at least part of the adjacent standing crop row areas;
wherein the apparatus prepares the soil, applies seed and firms the soil in the inter-row areas, applies fertilizer to the standing crop row areas and applies herbicide to the inter-row and standing crop row areas.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A no-till apparatus for application of herbicide and fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop has inter-row assemblies configured to pass along inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants. Each assembly includes a fertilizer applicator, a no-till soil preparation element, a cover crop seed applicator, and a post-seeding element.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for simultaneous application of herbicide and fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop in a no-till field, the plants of the standing crop defining a plurality of generally parallel row lines, a standing crop row area being defined around each row line so as to contain the row line of plants and extending between generally parallel edges to each side of the row line, an inter-row area being defined between each pair of adjacent standing crop row areas and extending between the closest edges of the adjacent standing crop row areas, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of inter-row assemblies each configured to pass along one of the inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants, each assembly including; a fertilizer applicator operable to apply fertilizer to one of the standing crop row areas adjacent the inter-row area without substantial application of fertilizer to the inter-row area; a no-till soil preparation element operable to prepare soil in the inter-row area for cover crop seeding without forming a furrow, the soil having an upper surface with no-till crop residue disposed thereon, the no-till soil preparation element being operable to generally cut through the crop residue so as to at least break up an upper surface of soil under the residue for cover crop seeding; a cover crop seed applicator operable to apply cover crop seed across the inter-row area after the soil preparation element; a post-seeding element operable to at least partially firm the soil and provide seed to soil contact in the inter-row area after the seed applicator applies seed; and an herbicide applicator operable to apply herbicide to the inter-row area and at least part of the adjacent standing crop row areas; wherein the apparatus prepares the soil, applies seed and firms the soil in the inter-row areas, applies fertilizer to the standing crop row areas and applies herbicide to the inter-row and standing crop row areas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A no-till apparatus for simultaneous application of fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop, the plants of the standing crop defining a plurality of generally parallel row lines, a standing crop row area being defined around each row line so as to contain the row line of plants and extending between generally parallel edges to each side of the row line, an inter-row area being defined between each pair of adjacent standing crop row areas and extending between the closest edges of the adjacent standing crop row areas, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of inter-row assemblies each configured to pass along one of the inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants, each assembly including; a fertilizer applicator operable to apply fertilizer to one of the standing crop row areas adjacent the inter-row area without substantial application of fertilizer to the inter-row area; a no-till soil preparation element operable to prepare soil in the inter-row area for cover crop seeding without forming a furrow, the soil having an upper surface with no-till crop residue disposed thereon, the no-till soil preparation element being operable to generally cut through the crop residue so as to at least break up an upper surface of soil under the residue for cover crop seeding; a cover crop seed applicator operable to apply cover crop seed across the inter-row area after the soil preparation element; and a post-seeding element operable to at least partially firm the soil and provide seed to soil contact in the inter-row area after the seed applicator applies seed; wherein each assembly prepares the soil, applies seed and firms the soil in one of the inter-row areas and applies fertilizer to one of the standing crop row areas in a single pass.
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13. A no-till method of planting a cover crop between the rows of a standing crop and simultaneously applying fertilizer and herbicide, the plants of the standing crop defining a plurality of generally parallel row lines, a standing crop row area being defined around each row line so as to contain the row line of plants and extending between generally parallel edges to each side of the row line, an inter-row area being defined between each pair of adjacent standing crop row areas and extending between the closest edges of the adjacent standing crop row areas, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a no-till apparatus for simultaneous application of herbicide and fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop, the apparatus comprising a plurality of inter-row assemblies each configured to pass along one of the inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants, each assembly including; a fertilizer applicator; a no-till soil preparation element; a cover crop seed applicator; a post-seeding element; and an herbicide applicator; b) using the fertilizer applicator to apply fertilizer to one of the standing crop row areas adjacent the inter-row area without substantial application of fertilizer to the inter-row area; c) using the no-till soil preparation element to prepare soil in the inter-row area without forming a furrow, the soil having an upper surface with no-till crop residue disposed thereon, the no-till soil preparation element generally cutting through the crop residue so as to at least break up an upper surface of soil under the residue for cover crop seeding; d) using the cover crop seed applicator to apply cover crop seed across the inter-row area after using the soil preparation element; e) using the post-seeding element to at least partially firm the soil and provide seed to soil contact in the inter-row area after applying the cover crop seed; and f) using the herbicide applicator to apply herbicide to the inter-row area and at least part of the adjacent standing crop row areas; wherein the preparing, seeding, fertilizing and herbicide applicating steps are performed in a single pass. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification