A new spraying application system that can be retrofitted to a wide range of self-propelled and trailed sprayers is coming to the market this spring.
Ag Leader has added to its growing range of integrated application solutions with the release of RightSpot.
The latest offering in Ag Leader's DirectCommand portfolio of precision planting, spreading and spraying technology, RightSpot controls up to 144 nozzles individually for more consistent and accurate coverage over a range of operating speeds.
Ag Leader Asia Pacific sales manager Doug Amos said spraying crops is one of the most demanding jobs in modern farming systems.
"Spraying is extremely time-sensitive and time-intensive," Mr Amos said.
"Producers often spend more time spraying than any other job associated with broadacre or row cropping.
"With increasing input costs and tightening environmental regulations, producers need to be looking at ways of increasing the efficacy, accuracy and productivity of their spraying operations.
"Adding nozzle-by-nozzle control to their existing sprayer can deliver immediate agronomic and financial benefits by minimising under- or over-application and the potential for spray drift."
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RightSpot utilises pulse width modulation technology to maintain a consistent, user-defined boom pressure and application rate, regardless of operating speed.
"A traditional sprayer regulates the application rate by increasing or decreasing boom pressure as the ground speed of the sprayer changes," Mr Amos said.
"This means any reduction in speed, such as when travelling over rough conditions or around obstacles, will produce a larger droplet size, resulting in reduced coverage and efficacy.
"Conversely, any increase in speed will result in a smaller droplet size increasing the risk of chemical drift onto adjacent crops."
Mr Amos said the flow rate and pressure were controlled independently with RightSpot.
"This means the operator can speed up or slow down without sacrificing the droplet size or coverage," he said.
"RightSpot shuts off each nozzle automatically, allowing the operator to follow the most efficient path of travel rather than tracing around obstacles.
"The automatic turn compensation adjusts the application rate on the inner and outer portions of the boom to ensure a consistent rate is applied right across the boom during turning."
Mr Amos said RightSpot was next generation spraying technology that can be retrofitted to any make or size of sprayer.
He said the system was a cost-effective way to upgrade a late-model self-propelled or trailed sprayer into a state-of-the-art precision sprayer that would otherwise cost hundreds of thousands of dollars new.
"Twenty years ago, farmers could only make changes to the operation of the entire boom," he said
"Ten years ago, they could adjust the operation of each section.
"RightSpot allows them to control each individual nozzle."
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