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

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. The apparatus may include movable auxiliary seeding units such that the apparatus may operate as a grain drill.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for simultaneous application of herbicide or 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:
 at least one inter-row assembly configured to pass along one of the inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants, the at least one assembly including:
 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 in 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 
 at least one of a fertilizer applicator or an herbicide applicator, the fertilizer applicator operable to apply fertilizer to one of the standing crop row areas adjacent the inter-row area, the herbicide applicator operable to apply herbicide to the inter-row area. 
   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one inter-row assembly comprising a plurality of spaced apart inter-row assemblies each configured to pass along one of the inter-row areas;   the apparatus further comprising a support frame for supporting the plurality of inter-row assemblies.   
     
     
         3 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a fertilizer applicator or an herbicide applicator comprises a sprayer operable to apply a liquid fertilizer to one of the row areas without substantial application to the inter-row area or to the standing crop plants. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the fertilizer sprayer applies a narrow spray centered approximately four inches from the row line. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the no-till soil preparation element comprises a plurality of coulters. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of coulters comprises 3 coulters, including a leading, a mid, and a trailing coulter, each coulter being approximately 2 inches wide, the coulters being spaced apart side to side by approximately 4 inches. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus does not include any power driven soil preparation elements. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the seed applicator comprises a plurality of seed tubes positioned side by side. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the post-seeding element comprises a packing wheel. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the post-seeding element further comprises a spring loading mechanism operable to urge the packing wheel toward the soil. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a fertilizer applicator or an herbicide applicator comprises an herbicide applicator having a sprayer operable to spray herbicide in a wide pattern. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a fertilizer applicator or an herbicide applicator comprises a fertilizer applicator and an herbicide applicator.