Division 4.8.1 Techniques for slurry landspreading
United Kingdom
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Slurry dilution | Dilution rate of water: slurry is from 1:1 up to 50:1. The dry matter content of diluted slurry is less than 2 %. The clarified liquid fraction from the mechanical separation of slurry and the digestate from anaerobic digestion can be used as well. |
| Low-pressure water irrigation system | Diluted slurry is injected into the irrigation water pipeline and is pumped under low pressure to the irrigation system (e.g. sprinkler or travelling irrigator). |
| Band spreader (trailing hose) | A series of flexible hoses hang from a wide bar mounted onto the slurry trailer. The hoses discharge slurry at ground level in wide parallel bands. Application between the rows of a growing arable crop is feasible. |
| Band spreader (trailing shoe) | Slurry is discharged through rigid pipes which terminate in metal ‘shoes’, designed to apply slurry directly in narrow bands to the soil surface and below the crop canopy. Some types of trailing shoes are designed to cut a shallow slit in the soil to aid infiltration. |
| Shallow injector (open slot) | Tines or disc harrows are used to cut vertical slots (typically 4-6 cm deep) in the soil, forming grooves into which slurry is deposited. The injected slurry is fully or partially placed below the soil surface and grooves will normally be open after slurry application. |
| Deep injector (closed slot) | Tines or disc harrows are used to cultivate the soil and deposit slurry into it, before covering the slurry fully by means of press wheels or rollers. The depth of the closed slot ranges between 10 cm and 20 cm. |
| Slurry acidification | See Section 4.12.3. |