«It uses an automatic spot-spraying system and active lightweight sensors to detect and deliver the exact amount of chemical – only to weeds, not to bare soil, – says Daniel Rodriguez, WeedSeeker 2 product manager at Trimble. – Smart sensors are the quintessence of the latest green-mass detection technologies, which substantially improve product application».
According to Rodriguez, a substantial cut in raw-material costs matters a great deal to farmers, especially given today’s tight profit margins. But there’s also a plus for the environment. «The environmental benefits are also proportional to the financial ones, – he explains. – Weed resistance keeps growing worldwide. As a result, weed-control chemicals in these regions are becoming stronger. With WeedSeeker 2 you use fewer chemicals, which then end up in wastewater».
Spot-spraying systems offer a number of improvements compared with traditional agricultural spraying. By identifying individual weeds in the field and directing a limited dose of crop-protection product or herbicide at them, farmers can significantly cut chemical use. Spot spraying is especially useful for fighting herbicide-resistant weeds. Various chemical agents are available for destroying weeds, with more expensive chemicals usually used on herbicide-resistant weeds. Thanks to precise targeting of resistant weeds, spot-spraying systems let you cost-effectively eliminate harmful weeds by significantly cutting the amount of more expensive herbicides used. Applying recovered chemicals also brings great benefit to the environment, contributing to further building resistance and rational use of the farm.
WeedSeeker 2 brings next-generation technology to the spot-spraying device market. The new smart sensors save time in field conditions by eliminating the need to reboot the system. After a quick calibration at startup, WeedSeeker 2 automatically adjusts on the go to changes in temperature, ambient light and surface type, such as soil or stubble, ensuring sensor accuracy under any conditions. The sensors also get information about the boom’s travel speed and their own position on it. This means treated areas won’t be sprayed twice, since sections will automatically overlap correctly when turning.
Knowing where weeds concentrate in fields gives farmers the ability to target them better year after year. The WeedSeeker 2 system now logs every weed sprayed, so operators can see problem areas in real time and review detailed maps from the records before the next spraying. WeedSeeker 2 is lighter and more maneuverable even on the largest sprayer booms, and its sensors now provide extended coverage zones. The new spot-spraying sensors boost efficiency by eliminating the need to readjust nozzles while also reducing the number of sensors required.
The new system is fully compatible with Trimble displays, correction services and the Autopilot™ autosteering system. The GFX-750™ display can quickly switch between working screens, simultaneously controlling steering guidance and spot spraying, saving space in the tractor cab and eliminating the need for multiple displays.
Even though WeedSeeker 2 works ideally for use with Trimble displays and the Autopilot system, that doesn’t mean it’s only compatible with Trimble products. Any ISOBUS-compatible display with universal-terminal capability can be used to monitor and control the new spot-spraying system. Thanks to its intuitive interface, the system is simple and convenient to use, providing farmers with optimal flexibility in their work.
Yevgen Kondratyev
Tel.: +38 50 450 47 82
E-mail: e.kondratyev@astra-group.com.ua
