Localised fertiliser application using the Czajkowski Strip-Till method

Localised fertiliser application in the Czajkowski Strip-Till system: precise nutrition in the root zone

Modern agriculture is increasingly focused not only on productivity but also on the precise use of resources. One such approach is the Strip-Till system, in which not the entire field area is tilled, but only a narrow sowing strip. It is in this zone that the plant’s future root system develops, so it is important to create optimal conditions here for the crop’s initial growth.

In Czajkowski STK machines, this principle is combined with localised fertiliser application directly into the tilled strip.

How localised fertiliser application works

As the machine passes, the working section first carries out deep strip tillage of the soil. The vertical tine works to a depth of up to 35 cm, loosening and aerating the soil without turning its layers.

After this, a special application system allows fertiliser to be placed directly within the profile of the loosened strip. Depending on the configuration and settings, one or two types of fertiliser can be applied.

In this way, nutrients are concentrated not across the entire field area, but specifically in the zone where the crop’s root system will subsequently develop.

Why this is important

Localised fertiliser application enables more precise management of plant nutrition. The roots gain access to nutrients within the prepared strip, and the fertilisation process itself becomes part of a single operational pass.

According to the manufacturer, Czajkowski, this approach is designed to make more efficient use of fertilisers and resources compared to tilling the entire area.

At the same time, the inter-rows remain untilled. Crop residues remain on their surface, helping to protect the soil and minimise excessive disturbance to its structure.

Several operations in a single pass

One of the key advantages of the Czajkowski Strip-Till system is the ability to combine several operational steps into a single work process:

• strip tillage;

• localised fertiliser application;

• preparation of the sowing strip;

• crop sowing.

This reduces the number of passes required across the field and allows the sowing campaign to be organised in a more systematic and consistent manner.

Working specifically within the future crop zone

The principle of Strip-Till is not to till the entire field area unnecessarily, but to work precisely where the crop rows will be located.

In the Czajkowski STK system, the soil is loosened, fertiliser is applied to the required area, whilst the inter-row space retains its natural structure and crop residues. This approach combines precision, efficient use of resources and technical efficiency in a single process.

Czajkowski Strip-Till involves working not on the entire field area, but specifically on the zone where the future crop will be grown.