Partnerships are vital to the success of the Sunbelt Ag Expo and the Darrell Williams Research Farm. Most recently, Southeast Ag Equipment and Case IH helped to expand our research capabilities on the farm by providing a Case IH 3340 sprayer. The sprayer is equipped with an individual PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) nozzle control and an auto-boom height control system.
Spray technologies are advancing rapidly and growers are interested in learning how precision spray technologies such as PWM nozzles and/or an auto-boom height control system can improve on-target applications while reducing off-target pesticide movement. The individual PWM nozzle system overcomes a major limitation of pressure-based rate-control systems and provides an added functionality of maintaining constant spray pressure across the boom independent of ground speed changes in the field. Maintaining constant pressure is very important for consistent droplet size and spray application uniformity throughout the whole field. Similarly, auto-boom height systems can automatically adjust boom height in real-time during application, thus keeping consistent spray overlap and uniformity across the field.
Because of this partnership, we are able to conduct field trials with this sprayer to determine how these technologies can help improve spray coverage, application uniformity and minimizing spray particle drift, especially at different ground speeds and boom heights. Some of these new spray technologies come at a considerable cost to growers so this research is much needed to understand the associated technology benefits and if the extra cost in precision technologies is worth the investment for growers.
To learn more about these studies or to take a closer look at these spray technologies, be sure to attend this year’s Field Day, July 22nd. Visit sunbeltexpo.com/field-day for all of the details.
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