Brent Bean who carried out this plot did not use primary nitrogen (82) for plot comparison.  

He should have used a pressure reducing NH3 system….with freezing lines and gas and liquid state flow of NH3 at the injection point.
Brent Bean did not compare the process….He compared two different chemicals.
Comparing two different chemicals means he must compare the two materials economically.
Since the difference is $60 to $75 per acre in favor of Exactrix TAPPS.

 Specs on 32 and 82…..from Simplot.  Click on images below to read the PDF File

             
                                                                                                                                               Crystalline TAPPS at Groom, Texas,
                                                                                                                                                            Jan. 20, 2008 Cotton field

The plot was set up to indicate that Exactrix does not increase yields….the goal was to not compare the process or Exactrix vs. Non-Exactrix…..
Brent Bean’s goal was to prove you can could raise higher yields with 32-0-0 as he writes in his summary.  

The Secondary nitrogen source 32-0-0…is Salvage and Convenience fertilizer that normally costs about 150% more than NH3.

The advantage of 32-0-0…is liquid streaming flow….and mixing of the two products.
Also 32-0-0 has more carbon in the band….so it is not a primary nitrogen material.

So if he had done the plot correctly there would also be Humic Acid with the NH3 to reflect the same amount of carbon. Over 50% of the N had Carbon stored in the Urea and this is why the material weighs more.
Approximately $9.00 of Humic Acid at 1.5 gallon would be required.

Timing was leveraged to 32-0-0….The banding plot should have been carried out in March rather than late April.   This would be representative of how NH3 is applied at Amarillo.

If he had tested with Aqua Ammonia with a liquid streaming flow….then he would have had a better comparison of how Exactrix NH3 works.
Liquid Streaming Flow at the injection is the powerful combination at high pH in an Acid Base Reaction with APP/ATS/KTS. The band width remains constant with liquid streaming flow.

Long Ago….Discovered and Promoted by the TVA at Muscle Shoals….Liquid Fertilizers are more crop effective.

In the extensive test plots Exactrix produced 8 more bushels over 2 years.

The economic difference in this extensive plot is. The 32-0-0 treatment would need to produce 5 more bushels of corn per acre annually to break even.

Risk was increased with 32-0-0….And for the Risk involved with the 32-0-0 should have produced 7 more bushels per acre annually to get a 2:1 return on investment.

32-0-0…45 to 65 gallons per acre required a lot more handling and slows the application process down. NH3 was applied at 28 gallons to 50 gallons per acre.

11.01 pounds per gallon….allows 1,000 gallons of 32-0-0 on board. NH3 typically has 2,000 gallons at 5.14 pounds on board with fills to 95% with liquid delivery.

37 pounds N came from APP/ATS.  123 pounds N comes from 32-0-0 or NH3 at 160 total pounds N per acre.  

Current prices for Corn and Nutrients based on Dec. 10, 11 at Hugoton, KS Coop. Elkhart.  
42 cent N as NH3
68 cent N as URAN or 32-0-0.
Best Results were at 160 pounds N.
That is 26 cent difference in N times 123 pounds. That is $31.98 per acre annually or $63.96 over the 2 year period.
The Yield advantage over 2 years was 8 bu. per acre. Or at $7.00 per bushel….about $56.
Over the 2 year period….the advantage was $119.96 or about $60.00 per acre advantage annually.  

The further investigation of the plot….resulted in these facts following interviews with the producers.

1.    The plots were paid for by the solution 32-0-0 fertilizer dealer in the area.

2.    The Exactrix owner in the plot, Matt Galbreath is not changing a thing. He is a happy producer with the Exactrix.

3.   The second year the corn was planted on top of the TAPPS bands within 19 days….and the waiting period is 30 days for mellowing the bands. Root
Burning occurred as indicated but still higher.

4.   The optimum rate of N is known to be less….somewhere between 120 and 140 pounds N per acre in TAPPS formulation…any higher and yield curve goes
backwards.

5.    Strange Event…The Yield Curve did not go back ward above 160 pounds N….The yield curve is still climbing at 240 pounds N…Exactrix systems yield
 curve drops off after 160 pounds N.

6.   Typically the plots are set at 80, 100, 120, 140, 160 and 200 pounds N….Current plot designs do not go above 200 pounds N. The sweet spot is known to
be between 120 and 140 pounds N.

7.   The Proven Yield method is not used with Exactrix. The Economic method is used at 12% of the gross.

8.    Normally 70% to 80% of the corn root mass is in the top 18 inches of the soil profile. Avoiding abnormal N in the lower part of the soil profile is a federal and state goal.  

     
Orthman strip-till, 30 inch, Groom, TX. Jan 20, 2008       Case SDX, Single disc applicator, no-till.     Pre-plant corn production, Panhandle, TX.

Most of the 30 inch strip till banding at Amarillo is done all winter long….and finishes about March 15, 11.  The Planting typically starts April 22.
 
Solution 32-0-0 is not used because of all the hauling, the fact that it can easily leach if applied too early, and it costs too much.  It is not primary nitrogen.

Banding is always superior and band centers are best at 10 to 15 inch for TAPPS.  32-0-0 will easily leach if banded on 10 or 15 inch centers.

Solution 32-0-0 is not a primary nitrogen source.

Leaching occurs with 32-0-0 if it is banded ahead….during the winter.  

Higher Yields are possible. 

The most likely scenario for getting higher yields was the 30 inch band centers creating root burn.
The highest yields and best economics typically come at 140 pounds N in TAPPS formulation on 30 inch band spacing…the curve is shifting typically downward at 160 pounds N.
Humic Acid can be used in the band to provide more carbon and improve the Cation Exchange Capacity.
Some producers at Amarillo band NH3 with Single Disc Openers on 15 inch centers at half rates…..and then strip till band at ½ rates to produce a warmer seed bed later in the season which does avoid a concentrated 30 inch band. Highest yields are always attained with 15 inch or less band spacing.
The highest yields achieved at Amarillo are in the 300 plus bushel range….Donny Carpenter, Exactrix owner.  Winner of the National Corn Yield Contest.  

Exactrix does produce higher yields with TAPPS and TAPPKTS…..when properly compared…..and always Exactrix TAPPS, TAPPKTS, and Humic Acid does produce more net dollars….In this case $60 to $75 more net income per acre. Exactrix owners have less risk in the growing crop because of good old NH3 and Super Phosphoric Acid. ….stabilized with ATS….and also now with Humic Acid.  

The Exactrix Agronomy Guide explains how Exactrix Works.

Guy Swanson
Exactrix
Spokane.  

Side bar.

In late 2007 and early 2008 in Western Kansas and the Texas Pan Handle,  about 50 irrigated corn producers on large acreages converted to Exactrix.
The fertilizer dealers that offered solution 32-0-0 and inventoried the material began a strong program to convert Exactrix owners back to 32-0-0 to be applied with the Pivot.
Their science did not measure up. ….since these large producers made $100,000 to $250,000 investments in Exactrix that were bringing between $500,000 to $1.5 million more net.
A very small group of producers strip till with 32-0-0. Small producers may use 32-0-0 due to a larger investment required to apply NH3.

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