On-the-go weed identification and custom application combine in concept to form the Xarvio Smart Sprayer, a prototype rolling out in field trials this year in both the U.S. and Europe. Warren Bills, commercialization manager with Xarvio, showcased the spray-boom technology at the recent Ag in Motion farm show, near Saskatoon. Bills says that the idea… Read More
American-based Raven Industries has long been known for its contributions to precision agriculture, from cloud-based data management to guidance and steering applications. The company has also worked on spray application, recently unveiling its Autoboom XRT boom height control with simultaneous ground and canopy detection. “We’ve been in the boom height control business for 14 to… Read More
A wide range of new concepts were on display in Canada’s Farm Progress Show’s Innovation showcase hall this month. A total of 22 inventions were submitted to the show this year, with one innovation winning gold, and two others tied for the sterling award. Saskatchewan-based Precision AI was one of the two sterling award winners…. Read More
While pulse width modulation (PWM) offers much to pesticide application – variable rates, individual nozzle control – it’s not without its challenges, namely “gumming up.” “It has a moving part – it’s called a poppet,” explains Tom Wolf of Sprayers 101, on RealAg Radio. “It looks like a little piston moving inside a cylinder. So… Read More
Two years ago our Exploding Spray Myths team raced against time to show sprayer operators that more air is not better when it comes to efficiently operating airblast sprayers. In this new episode, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affair’s Jason Deveau and Tom Wolf, of AgriMetrix, return to the orchard to show growers how to… Read More
If you already own an Apache sprayer, you know it is one of the lightest sprayers on the market. That’s according to Eric Friesen, regional director of sales for Equipment Technology (ET), which make the Apache line. At the Western Canadian Crop Production Show at Saskatoon, Sask., Friesen, along with his sales team, were showcasing… Read More
Can spray technology help us better manage the escalating problem of herbicide-resistant weeds? Spray guru Tom Wolf, from Saskatchewan-based Agrimetrix Research & Training, certainly thinks so. At the recent Canadian Weed Science Society meeting at Niagara Falls, Ont., Wolf highlighted two technologies he believes could help help growers manage weed resistance. In this video, Wolf and… Read More
More power and manoeuvrability top the list of improvements to New Holland’s Guardian sprayers. At the recent Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa, New Holland rolled out its SP370F and SP410F front-boom sprayers. Don Keller, sprayer product marketing manager, explains that both models come with a Cursor 9 FPT engine as well as an enhanced propulsion system. Ground drive… Read More
There are a lot of high clearance sprayers to choose from. What features set the Miller Nitro apart? RealAgriculture’s Kelvin Heppner had a chance to ask Mark Burns, application equipment manager with Case IH, what was new with the Miller Nitro sprayer when they were together at the Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa. Mark… Read More
Deere & Company has announced a deal to acquire PLA, an Argentina-based company that manufactures sprayers, planters and specialty equipment for agriculture. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “The PLA acquisition enhances John Deere’s commitment to customers as we continue to provide innovative, cost-effective equipment, technology, and services to improve their productivity,” said John… Read More
What happens when you don’t follow the WALES method for adding pesticide formulations to a tank partially filled with water? You really can plug up a sprayer, fail to take advantage of good spraying conditions, and waste time cleaning up the mess. At the recent Crop Masters tour at Syngenta Canada‘s Honeywood research facility in… Read More
Optical sensors for selective weed control aren’t new, but the technology has come a long way in recent years. A new offering, the WEEDIt system, caught farmers’ attention at the recent CanolaPalooza field day event held at Lacombe, Alberta. To explain how the WEEDIt works, we caught up with Tom Wolf, with AgriMetrix. “It’s an… Read More
Fast loading times are critical for maximizing sprayer efficiency, but mistakes are also more likely to happen when loading in a hurry. An Iowa-based company, Praxidyn, has designed a portable, modular system to shorten the time it takes to blend chemicals and refill the sprayer, while also reducing the chances of errors by automating the… Read More
The idea of spraying with drones has gained interest as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become more common in farming over the past few years. In concept, UAV sprayers could identify and target weeds, and then apply herbicide autonomously in specific areas of a field. The technology for spraying with a drone is available and… Read More
Field testing is slated to begin this week on a prototype 120-foot sprayer designed to be loaded onto the DOT field robot for autonomous spraying. Pattison Liquid Systems — based at Lemberg, Saskatchewan — showcased its Connect PLU (Pattison Liquid Unmanned) S120 sprayer at Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina last week. It’s the first… Read More