Tom Wolf is concerned about the risk of drift from drones and explains, with supporting data, that it’s difficult to get a consistent swath, or spray, width from a drone.
Tag Archives spraying
The cons, cons, cons and pros of drone spraying
More data is needed on the efficacy of the method
Moving spot spraying forward means building algorithms
Advanced spraying systems have benefits, but also have costs a farmer must consider
Glacier FarmMedia — Spot spraying isn’t a new idea, and the equipment capable of selective application has been around for decades — but the technology that supports this approach is advancing. Tom Wolf, an application specialist with Agrimetrix Research and Training and Sprayers101, recently shared some of the new research, technology developments and application techniques […] Read more
Managing against fusarium takes a multi-part strategy
Tweaking fungicide timing could provide farmers with better control
Kelly Turkington, a longtime plant pathologist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge, strongly supports the notion that an integrated approach to managing fusarium head blight (FHB) offers the best chance of success for cereal producers. Even so, Turkington says, in much of Manitoba and northeastern Saskatchewan, that strategy hasn’t always worked as well as […] Read more
Tackling herbicide resistance with smarter spraying
Tom Wolf from Sprayers101.com shares insights on how spraying techniques and technologies can help farmers stay ahead of resistance
With herbicide resistance on the rise, farmers can no longer spray their way out of weed problems — but smarter spraying can help prevent making resistance worse. That was the message from spray application specialist Tom Wolf, who spoke recently at the Manitoba Agronomists’ Conference. Wolf, from Saskatoon, is known for his contributions to Sprayers101.com, […] Read more
Can John Deere’s See and Spray system more than pay for itself?
Analysis of 2024 use shows significant reduction in herbicide use and costs
Iowa State University in late August published the results of its field-scale trials of John Deere’s precision spraying system See and Spray Ultimate, and the outcomes were impressive, to say the least. Deere’s system uses artificial intelligence and machine-based learning to identify weeds in a growing crop and make targeted applications. The Iowa trials consisted […] Read more
WeedSeeker 2 offers spot-spraying retrofit for existing sprayers
The green-on-brown system could reduce herbicide use in spring and fall applications
The three current green-on-green spot spray systems on the market now are only capable of functioning in corn, soybean and cotton crops. For most Prairie producers, that doesn’t fit their operations very well. A green-on-brown system, however, could offer significant reductions in herbicide use during pre-seeding and post-harvest burndowns. PTx Trimble’s WeedSeeker 2 system offers […] Read more
Switching to glide
Precision AI’s new autonomous Stratus AirSprayer can carry bigger loads and fly longer than conventional ag drones
For decades, farmers have used boom sprayers in their fields to protect crops from weeds, disease and insect pests. They’ve also relied on crop dusters, which first took flight 100 years or so ago. The advent of drone technology has ushered in a new age in aerial spraying. Today, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market […] Read more
From AIM: Expect a year of drone drama
Spray regulations haven't kept up with drone advancements.
Night spraying for forage pest can spare pollinators
Spraying after sundown is also more effective in controlling lesser clover leaf weevil
Glacier FarmMedia — Prairie forage growers who plan to spray for a particular problem pest, but want to avoid collateral damage to more beneficial insects, may get their best and cleanest shot in the dark. Forage and seed producers heard about the benefits of night spraying for red clover crops during the Saskatchewan Forage Seed […] Read more
Reduced-area pest spraying can still hit moving targets
The RAAT method can cut insecticide use in half and still kill most grasshoppers on pasture
Glacier FarmMedia — Grasshoppers, as their name suggests, hop from place to place in grassy fields. Taking advantage of that natural behaviour, University of Wyoming scientists have devised a way to control grasshoppers on pastures with smaller volumes of pesticides. The method is called Reduced Agent and Area Treatments (RAAT), in which farmers apply an […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
