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A. PAM Facts "MP" Micronized PAM Fact Sheet FACT #1: “MP” is a unique formulation of PAM (water-soluble polyacrylamide). A new patented air mill technology utilizing vibration rather than the crushing action performed by other companies with a hammer mill eliminates damage to the product during the grinding process. This allows Soil Enhancement Technologies (SET) to offer a product in a smaller size making it more active because you can get more particles per square foot than with any other product when applied direct to the soil
FACT #2: “MP” offers distinctive advantages over other PAM products. Due to the smaller particle size, you now have alternative application options no other PAM product can offer.
FACT #3: “MP” can be mixed in a water and concentrated ammonium sulfate (CAS) solution at a concentration of up to ½ pound of “MP” per gallon of water. This means you can now broadcast a liquid solution directly onto your fields at low volume rates per acre. Since “MP” mixed with CAS remains in suspension instead of in solution, you no longer have to worry about bothersome “thickening” of the mix. This suspension acts and sprays like water! For best preparation results, add the ammonium sulfate to the water and mix until fully dissolved, and then slowly add the “MP” while maintaining agitation. In most cases, the “MP” will go into suspension after just a very few minutes of agitation.
FACT #4: “MP” can be injected through a center pivot by adding the material directly to the fertilizer already being applied to the crop during the growing season. Up to 1 pound of “MP” can be added per 10 gallons of most liquid fertilizer blends (calcium salts and inorganic zinc, copper, iron, manganese are exempted) and injected through the center pivot without the need of special injection equipment. This mixture will slightly thicken the liquid fertilizer but you should experience no difficulties pumping the material just as you would your current liquid fertilizer blends. For best results slowly add the “MP” to the liquid fertilizer while maintaining without extreme agitation. The use of an inductor is recommend. In most cases, the “MP” will go into solution after just a few seconds of agitation. Remember to do a jar test with “MP” and your fertilizer blend to assure compatibility prior to mixing large quantities.
FACT #5: “MP” offers an alternative to competitive liquid formulation of PAM materials. Imagine being able to apply a PAM material without worrying about special equipment or formulation problems!
FACT #6: “MP” Offers a variety of ways for application of dry particles to soil for farms, landscape and gardens.
FACT #7: “MP” is only available from Soil Enhancement Technologies:
B. Values of "MP" Good soil is extremely important in growing our food and in creating a pleasing environment, but soil, generally is very unfriendly. Poor soil variously relates to infertility, little microbial life and to poor physical characteristic of the soil. Infertility can be corrected by providing plant nutrients. Soil biology can be corrected by use of crop residues and composts and related materials including some microbes. Far too little attention is given to the third problem concerning the physical aspects of the soil. The physical aspects of soil can be unfriendly in many ways. Soil can be poorly impermeable to water, it can be hard or cracked and difficult to till. It may not permit roots to penetrate or seed to emerge because of crusting of the soil surface. Also the soil may be very susceptible to erosion caused by water or wind. Too often, sediments are washed from the land that contain nutrients, pesticides or even unwanted microbes. These sediments can cause many problems of environmental concern. Water-soluble polymer soil conditioners are the answer to many of the problems related to poor soil. The most common polymer in use is polyacrylamide abbreviated to PAM. It is used in the water-soluble form and not to be confused with another polymer that is cross-linked rather than a chain. The water-soluble form reacts with the clay in soil to flocculate it into larger soil particles that create better aeration, better water movement, less erodable soil, easily tillabililty and manageable and other characteristics. Good soil texture results to give loose, separate and crumbly soil particles. The cross-linked polymers absorb water but do not react with clay. Water-soluble PAM does improve soil. Some of the advantages are: · Less packing and cracking of soil · Less soil erosion · More efficient water use · More efficient fertilizer use · Better tillability of soil · Better survival and growth of plants · Less dust (PM10 and PM 2.5) · Enhanced value of organics and other soil amendments · Less soil crusting with more and faster seed emergence · Easier weed removal · Better soil aeration to improve root growth · More crop yield · Fewer soil-borne diseases · Better success when irrigating with reclaimed water · Cleaner harvest of root crops · Less compacted coil · Less muddy soil · A perfect bed for sod or seeds · Earlier crop maturity · Decrease the effects of too much clay The ability of PAM to improve soil is tremendous. Also one must remember that a given treatment or application does not necessarily give all the benefits simultaneously. Different uses often require different activities. Micronized PAM “MP” is a form of PAM that is reduced to very small particles size in a way that does not decrease its effectiveness. Miconized PAM has two major advantages. The particle sizes are reduced in diameter to as many as 1000 times and sometimes more. This has the tremendous advantage of tilling into soil many more particles per unit of soil than with regular commercial PAM. Efficiency increases to make a pound of PAM at least five times more effective compared with regular PAM when they are applied dry. It can be more cost effective to be more useful. The reason why small particles are more effective than large particles is that when PAM particle are dissolved they tend to migrate only a short distance from the point of application. They are soon fixed to the clay. Small particles allow for more uniform distribution into soil including after they dissolved. When applied as solutions, “MP” is rapidly soluble. Solution time can be reduced from around 90 minutes to a matter of seconds compared with the commercial size. Perhaps the most deterrent to widespread use of PAM is its difficulty for putting into solution. “MP” solves this problem. Some specific uses for “MP” Micronized PAM (some use of gypsum is recommended with all): · Preparation of seed beds · Reduce erosion- wind and dust to prevent movement of sediment containing nutrient, pesticide and other matter · Facilitate success in transplanting shrubs and trees and even vegetable transplants · As a tackifier in hydroseeding · Hasten earlier seed emergence and hasten earlier maturity · Enhance water penetration, deeper rooting and to decrease water runoff · Facilitate clean harvest of root and tuber crops · In irrigation furrows to prevent soil erosion · Make soil reclamation more effective- even make it possible is overcome much of the effects of excess exchangeable sodium in soil · With gypsum, overcome the problems with irrigation with reclaimed water Some ways for using Micronized PAM · In a slurry in concentrated ammonium sulfate to be diluted with water (irrigation etc.) · In calcium solution for dilution with irrigation water · In fertilizer solution for dilution with irrigation water · In dry, blended with ammonium sulfate and sometime also will potassium sulfate for field application, for hydroseeding, for soil preparation. Micronized PAM is food grade and meets all requirements for use in soil: high molecular weight 20% or more anionic and residual monomer less than 0.05%.
C. Calcium May Be The Miracle Ingredient There are over 30 different reasons why calcium in the form of gypsum is beneficial to soil or to plants. Stable soil organic matter has fairly constant Carbon-Nitrogen (C:N) and carbon-sulfur (C:S) ratios. Much less is known about the relationship of soil organic matter with calcium, that has been reported to be the binding agent of the organic matter to the clay. This is the case for the polysaccharide macromolecules that are effective in the stabilization of soil aggregates. Calcium additions with organic matter are necessary to restore lost levels of soil organic matter. Albrecht reported that liberal supplies of calcium in soil and liberal stocks of soil organic matter are inseparable. Use of calcium helps build up the supply of soil organic matter in ways other than those for which calcium sources are usually added to soil. Calcium supplied as gypsum or lime can be a major means for increasing the efficiency of accumulation of soil organic matter. PAM, calcium (gypsum) and organics do best when used together.
D. Summary of Uses of "MP" (Micronized PAM)* The benefits are usually with other additives (often with calcium and organics) Farm
Landscaping
Environment
* Different uses usually require different application procedures back to top E. Examples of Yield Increases that have been Reported (Note that different results will be obtained for different conditions and different use procedures and that sometimes, yield may not be increased even though there are other improvements.)
Actually for too little data have been collected to date on PAM or "MP" increasing yields. Much of the information available has not been obtained through rigorous experimentation, which is costly, but what is available, tells a powerful story. Yield increases can logically be expected when there is better water infiltration or when there is better soil aeration or when there is more and earlier seed emergence. All the best management practices add to the value of each other to make a better whole. At the rates PAM is applied for control of furrow irrigation, yield increases really should not be expected although yield increases can occur under favorable conditions that enhance water-use efficiency. Often times, better crop quality results without yield increases. Multiple values from the use of PAM can be obtained without yield increases. Even though yield increases are often, but not always, obtained they are most likely to occur if the methodology chosen has a chance to result in higher yields. Methodology for various purposes is outlined in Parts 2, 3, and 4 below. Considerable effort was expended over 45 years ago concerning water-soluble polymers on crop yields. Some of those results follow in Section G. The results are valid today even though the polymer is different and the application methodology is different. The data reproduced here in Section G are from Soil Science 73:419-492(1952).
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a. CAS-PAM – garden, landscape, and farm · 1 gallon for erosion control per acre in irrigation furrows · 1 gallon for dust control per acre if sprinkled · 1-2 gallons per 1000 ft2 for soil preparation · 1 gallon for home miscellaneous use with soil · Multiple gallons for farm improvement · 1-2 gallons per acre can prevent crusting b. 25-pound (or 20) package of –150 or smaller MP (50 pound of solution-grade gypsum used simultaneously as directed). Micronized PAM Gypsum · Transplanting 1-2 lb/1000 gallon 3 pounds · Erosion control 0.05 lb/1000 gallon 3 pounds · Hydroseeding 1-2 quarts/1000 gallon 1-2 quarts · Fertilizer stock solution 83-100 pounds/1000 gallons none Stock solution for later dilution into irrigation.
c. 25% in –270 in 50% ammonium sulfate and 25% potassium sulfate in 25 pound bags (separately 50 pounds solution grade gypsum as per direction · 4-20 pounds per 1000 ft2 spread dry for soil preparation. Ten pounds gypsum per 1000 ft2 applied separately. · 10-50 or more pounds may be added per acre via a Herd Feeder or equivalent for farm soil improvement. One half to a ton of gypsum may be spread separately. d. A 10% blend of Micronized PAM in ammonium sulfate, mono ammonium phosphate, potassium sulfate and iron EDDHA is used as garden preparation procedure and for prevention and correcting iron deficiency. Do not use gypsum or sulfate of iron, zinc, or copper in the blend. e. Micronized PAM is blended with some fertilizers for soil improvement and can also include iron chelates for prevention and correction of iron deficiency. Remember “MP” PAM also means “More Power”.
Sizes of "MP" (Micronized PAM)* 80 mesh =
about 210 microns -35** * 25,400 microns
make an inch. A micron is one millionth of a meter. Note: 35 mesh
PAM is about 500 microns with about 4.5 particles per pound soil (acre six-inch
basis);
"MP" (Micronized PAM) meets all requirements as an acceptable soil conditioner (molecular weight, anionic charge, concentration of residual monomer). It is food grade also.
G. Picture
and Table Section (Including Krilium) 1. Soil Science Society of America
2. Center Pivot Potato field
Infrared picture of a 125 acre (50 hectare) center-pivot potato field taken just before harvest. The bottom half had 3 pounds PAM per acre in the first irrigation after planting and the top half received water only in the first irrigation. The bottom half gave 25% more yield than the control. 3. Elm tree transplants
Fifty uniform elms were planted February 1987 at Tri-City Center at San Bernardino, Redlands, and Riverside. A dozen elms were backfilled with the standard, 40 percent by volume, redwood, nitrogen-stabilized compost amended soil. The balance were planted with the PAM applied as a drench to the backfill in conjunction with the same redwood compost but with only half as much.The differences in appearance are shown in the picture (in Part 1) at the 3-month point. Notice the relative heights in the second row of elms in comparison to the roof line. Within a few weeks of planting, growth differences were noted. At the 2-month point, the polymer-treated trees were already a foot taller with more foliage than the compost only treated elms. At the 5-month point, the PAM treated elms were two feet taller. After 12 years there is still a big difference. Some of the elms were transplanted the year prior using imported topsoil. Most of the balance of the elms were planted in February except for a few which remained boxed. They can be seen in front of the building entrance.The growth rate for the polymer soil conditioner program was about four times faster than for the imported soil. The caliper sizes for the polymer and imported soil were about the same even though the elms planted with the imported soil have been in four times longer. Compared to redwood compost alone, the PAM is excellent in promoting new growth of transplanted trees. 4. PAM depth treatment
With use of the solution application, PAM can be confined easily to precise depths by amount of solution applied if soil has been cultivated. The 'effect of depth' of treatment on growth of tomato plants; (dry granular PAM) was used here. 5. Seedling emergence
PAM
in sprinkler irrigation right after seeds are planted and before rain or irrigation
can very economically prevent crusting, aid seed emergence and increase early
growth of seedlings and advance date of crop maturity. The area may be sprinkled after the PAM solution
is dried if the surface is too dry for seed emergence.
6. PAM treated soil maintains tillability
7. Strawberry plants where yield was doubled
Strawberry plants grown in untreated beds on the left, treated beds on the right. The treatment with water-soluble PAM produced a 75 percent increase in soil aeration. Fruit yields were doubled.
8. Lateral water movement with PAM in irrigation (right has no PAM)
Click here to see this picture in more detail. Courtesy of Floeger 9. Friendly Krilium back in 1952.
10. The Krilium experiments 45 years ago. Results were valid - today PAM is a much better soil conditioner; 10 to 100 times lower rates are needed; application methodology is different. Some results with a water-soluble polymer soil conditioner used in 1952. The results are still valid today. That is why they are here. But the PAM materials in use today are far superior to polymers used in 1952 and much lower application rates are needed now to get similar results. Application methodology is also different today and that can increase efficiency of the water-soluble PAM. The results in 1952 with polymers labeled as CRD 186, CRD 189 and CI and called by the trade name Krilium are indicative of results obtained with PAM today. It is not necessary that the results must be proved again. Rates and methodology are different, but the results are similar. The Methodology of today is simpler and the results are more consistent. See reference Soil Science 1952. Click here for more results on use of Krilium. They are still good.
H. Click Here to See Some of Your Questions with Answers
back to top I. References (Click on title of the book for contents) Handbook of Soil Conditioners, edited by Arthur Wallace and Richard Terry, 1998, Published by Marcel Dekker, Inc, 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016. Soil Conditioner and Amendment Technologies, Volume 1, Arthur Wallace, editor, 1995, available from Wallace Laboratories, 365 Coral Circle, El Segundo, CA 90245. (310) 615-0116. Soil Conditioner and Amendment Technologies, Volume 2, Arthur Wallace, editor, 1997, available from Wallace Laboratories, 365 Coral Circle, El Segundo, CA 90245. (310) 615-0116. Soil Science, June 1952, Volume 73: 419 - 492 - Special Issue-Synthetic Soil Conditioners. Soil Science, May 1986, Volume 141: 311 - 398 - Special Issue on Polymer Soil Conditioners. Soil Science, October 1994, Volume 158: 233 - 300 - PAM for Controlling Soil Erosion. http://kimberly.ars.usda.gov/WebErode.html (Important information on control of erosion with furrow irrigation and on the properties of PAM.)
Gypsum Suppliers: http://www.awgypsum.co -- Art Wilson Co. in Carson City, NV http://www.diamondkgypsum.com -- Diamond K Gypsum in Richfield, UT |
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