Have you ever seen farm research that looks like an art project? On any given day, various types of research are being conducted on the Darrell Williams Research Farm at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. On this particular day, the research looked more like art than farm research.
One of the many UGA researchers that utilizes the Expo’s Research Farm is Simerjeet Virk, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in the area of Precision Agriculture and Machinery Systems at the University of Georgia. Dr. Virk has been involved in precision agriculture extension work at the University of Georgia since 2016. His extension efforts are focused on advancing the adoption and effective utilization of precision agriculture technologies and data management systems among the growers to improve crop production while maintaining farm profitability. Along with a few other studies, one study Dr. Virk is administering involves the use of different spray nozzles. This particular study considers the droplet size that each particular nozzle on the sprayer puts out and the consistency of the output so that farmers are better informed about nozzle options when applying insecticides and herbicides to different crops. It’s easy to leave the same nozzles on a sprayer when you are in a hurry, but the benefits of taking a few extra minutes to change out sprayer nozzles between crops and products is evident in the trials Dr. Virk and his team are conducting.
To learn more about this study and others on the Research Farm, plan to attend the Sunbelt Ag Expo’s Annual Field Day, July 22nd, 2021. Information will be updated on the Sunbelt Ag Expo’s website as it is available. www.sunbeltexpo.com/field-day.