AmericanCowman.com: Timely, practical production and management strategies that will add efficiency, value, and profitability to cattle herds with up to 100 head.
SPRAYER AIR technologies have been around for more than 20 years, but until recently, retailers and growers didn't use them much. That has changed, due in part to the threat of Asian soybean rust (ASR), which has farmers and custom applicators looking for greater efficacy and efficiency in spraying. Air technologies may offer both.
There are differences between air-assist and air-atomization sprayers. Air-assist sprayers do what their name implies; they “assist” spray droplets, using a curtain of air forced down in front of the nozzles to create a wind tunnel that drives the droplets deep into the crop canopy. The sprayer operator uses a controller in the cab to change air speed on the fly with fingertip controls. Three companies offering air-assist sprayers are Hardi (www.hardi-international.com), Jacto (www.jacto.com) and Gregson Technologies (www.radinter.com/gregson/eng/home.html).
Air-atomizing nozzles, on the other hand, primarily control droplet size. While most air-assist sprayers use standard nozzles, air-atomizing nozzles are designed to mix the liquid and air inside the nozzle, creating drops that are forced out of the nozzle with the airstream. Adjusting the airflow creates a highly adjustable droplet range. This allows an applicator, without changing the nozzle or the orifice size, to choose a range of droplets that may be most effective in treating a particular pest. One company offering air-atomizing technology is Spraying Systems Company (www.spray.com).
A third air technology is a hybrid of air assist and air atomization. This “air delivery” system drives spray droplets into the crop canopy like an air-assist sprayer, while using air-atomization nozzles. Spray-Air Technologies (www.sprayair.com) offers the Shear Guard Plus nozzles on its Trident series sprayers.
Comparative advantages
The droplet range achieved by air-atomizing sprayers would require three to four different nozzles on conventional sprayers, according to Erdal Ozkan, agricultural engineer at The Ohio State University (OSU). “If our focus is getting our droplets deep inside the canopy, as in the case of soybean rust, the air-assisted sprayers are likely to produce better results than air atomizers,” Ozkan says. “Depending on the type of air-atomizing setup you have, there is actually either very little air or not sufficient enough air coming out of the air-atomizing nozzles. And compared to air-assisted sprayers, the airflow just doesn't have enough air power [velocity and rate] to create any type of turbulence, which is what opens up the canopy for better penetration of droplets.”
“It takes a lot of air to get to the bottom of a 3-ft.-tall dense canopy of beans and push the droplets in to coat both sides of the leaves,” points out Lee Burgard, territory manager for Hardi.
In Ozkan's tests, designed to measure canopy penetration in a likely soybean rust scenario, the Jacto air-assisted sprayer performed best in every test. A sprayer equipped with Spraying Systems air-atomizing AirJet nozzles ranked second or third in every category, edging out all six of the conventional nozzle configurations. Ozkan did not test other air-assist sprayers, air-atomizing nozzles or Spray-Air's hybrid of the two technologies, the Shear Guard Plus nozzles mounted on the company's Trident series sprayers.
As for air atomization, the biggest advantage is separating droplet size from travel speed.
“That's the holy grail of spraying,” says Rich Gould, product manager for Spraying Systems. “With a hydraulic [conventional] sprayer, if you change the flow rate or the pressure, you're changing droplet size, so it's a constant compromise between the variables. With an air-atomizing nozzle, those variables are separated, and you control the droplet size independently.”
That advantage is a boon for applicators. The in-cab spray controller keeps the droplet size constant, even if the applicator reduces travel speed for field obstacles, point rows or turnarounds, Ozkan says.
With the hybrid of the two, the Shear Guard system, the air delivery nozzle allows the operator to “dial in” the ideal droplet size range and, when spraying for ASR, drives the spray deep into the canopy with a velocity of up to 100 mph, says Tim Criddle, corporate sales and marketing manager for Spray-Air.
“We have a unique technology; it's a patented hybrid of both air-assist and air-atomizing systems,” Criddle says. “This system combines the best of air-assist technology driving the spray droplets into the crop canopy, while creating optimum uniform droplet sizes regardless of travel speed or liquid pressure as an air atomizer.”
Drift reduction
“The smaller the droplet, the more drift-prone it is,” Ozkan says. “And the more drift you have, the less chemical staying on the crop. If 10% of your spray drifts, you've reduced your rate, wasted chemicals and possibly caused problems with the neighbors.”
Having a controllable droplet size gives a better buffer between a field and potential problem areas, such as a neighbor's home, a creek or a chemically sensitive crop, Spray-Air's Criddle says.
“Following the ASAE Droplet Classification Standard, you can dial in an extremely uniform droplet size range, depending on the application type, with only one nozzle,” he says. “High water volumes usually mean large droplets and wasteful applications. The Shear Guard sprays with the optimum droplet size for each application and wasting far less water.”
Because the air itself is forcing droplets down into the canopy, which then slows the droplets, manufacturers of the air-technology sprayers claim they “virtually eliminate” drift.
With some air-assist sprayers, like the Hardi Twin Force or Jacto Vortex, the air angle is adjustable within the cab, providing greater control to further reduce drift, Burgard says. “You may want to angle the air just enough to counteract the wind,” he says.
However, in preemergence or early post applications, air, if not turned off or adjusted properly, can be a bad thing, Ozkan says. “In these situations, you may actually get more drift than with a conventional sprayer, due to the kickback effect of the air bouncing off the ground,” he explains.
However, most manufacturers say that concern is easily addressed: With air-atomizing sprayers, the operator can completely turn off the air and use the unit as a conventional sprayer; and with an air-assist sprayer the operator can turn the air off or down to the point where kickback isn't an issue.
Reduced carrier and chemistry
The manufacturers of both air-atomizing nozzles and air-assist sprayers say that, because the sprayer uses air, less water is needed. Some even say you can get by with a lower amount of chemicals due to increased plant coverage.
“We recommend that you use half the normal carrier volume [water] while keeping the chemical rate,” says Lee Richey, vice president of Jacto. “An 800-gal. tank spraying half the water volume can stay out in the field as long as a conventional sprayer with a 1,600-gal. tank.”
He says this will not reduce efficacy, because the smaller, air-assist droplets are more efficient.
“You're not using an off-label rate as long as you're using the correct amount of chemical per acre, but not necessarily their carrier rate,” Richey says.
Better, more timely coverage
“Coverage has been an important issue as more spraying is being done postemergence,” says Alain Grégorie, sales manager, Gregson Technologies.
Because air-assist sprayers cover more leaf surface area — including the underside of the leaves — companies say they're seeing increased effectiveness.
Being able to spray in windy conditions is another benefit of air-assist sprayers because, when it's time to spray, every day you wait for wind speeds to decrease can cause yield reductions.
“We have documented research that shows these units can spray in wind speeds up to 22 mph,” says Jacto's Richey. “With the increased number of days you can spray with an air-assisted sprayer versus a conventional sprayer, you are saving money because you can spray when you need to.”
With the need to spray within three to five days after discovering ASR, having the largest available spray window has become ever more important, Richey adds.
Money
These sprayers, with their added benefits, also come with an added cost. The price tag for any of the units is $10,000 to $20,000 more than for a similar-sized conventional sprayer. However, the manufacturers claim the units' efficiencies justify their extra expense.
“Chemicals are expensive, so every percent of added efficiency translates into big savings,” Grégorie says. “If air assist gives custom applicators a bigger window to spray because of reduced drift, while still using nozzles that will give good coverage, this can be very critical because they have many acres to cover and cannot wait for the perfect day to spray.”
Criddle says that Spray-Air grower surveys indicate growers are saving an average $8 to $10/acre on fuel, labor, time and water by spraying at the lowest herbicide rates.
Innovations at Agromek
Boom controller, seed monitor. LH Agro introduced its 75 Command Box at Agromek. The Command Box can command up to seven boom sections using pulse width
Apache line grows
EQUIPMENT Technologies unveiled two new self-propelled sprayers at a recent media event. The new AS710 and AS1010 join the Indiana company's line of Apache
Optimal application
NOT EVERY expert agrees on how best to boost a sprayer's effectiveness, but few would disagree that the ultimate objective of a crop protection application
Cover more ground
Redball has entered the self-propelled sprayer market with a 1,200-gal. stainless steel sprayer with a 140-gal. integral rinse tank and a ProAction Flex
7 conclusions from a two-year study
Ohio researchers report seven conclusions from studies they conducted during 2005 and 2006 to evaluate various spray equipment for their potential to
BREAKING NEWS
Low Foam Technology Syngenta announces that new Touchdown Total herbicide with Low Foam Technology reduces foaming during mixing and tank fill. Low Foam
Five tips for better coverage
TEEJET SPRAY Products, a division brand of Spraying Systems Company, introduces a wider range of spray nozzles and tips for targeted pesticide application.
Reaching rust
Results from a two-year Ohio spray study show air-assisted technologies consistently perform best in delivering fungicide below the middle and lower-leaf canopy where Asian soybean rust (ASR) is most likely to develop
Virtual terminal
THE NEW IntelliAg virtual terminal from Dickey-john is designed to interface with seed sensors, shaft monitors and hydraulic valves on planters, grain
Double-span pivot
A NEW dual-span irrigation pivot from Valmont Irrigation is helping growers in the West raise high-density crops such as carrots. Two sets of spans on
BREAKING NEWS
Court rules in favor of Monsanto A U.S. district court in St. Louis, MO, recently denied efforts to certify an antitrust class-action suit levied against
Super sprayer
MODERN Flow Equipment reinvented its big sprayer line from the ground up. Built for high-acreage growers and custom applicators to service both large
Power boost
The new 2007 model Apache sprayer 710 boasts a number of improvements over the popular 2006 model that accounted for 30% of Equipment Technologies' total
Sprayer upgrades
CASE IH expands its commercial sprayer lineup with four new floater models. The FLX 20 series floaters offer more power than the previous 10 series floaters
Droplet size control
CONTROL OF spray droplet size is critical for minimizing the risk of drift, says Scott Bretthauer, University of Illinois Extension specialist in application
Highlights from Louisville farm show
THE NATIONAL Farm Machinery Show held February 15-18 in Louisville, KY, had a record-setting attendance year, with more than 312,000 people visiting the
Valued partners
In the last few years, distributors of crop inputs have seen their role evolve from warehouse and transportation managers to providers of information
A fresh approach
We need to look from the outside in to step back and reassess how we are conducting business, says retailer Tim Sanders of the DeLong Company, Clinton,
Swift action
Timing is the name of the game in treating Asian soybean rust. That message was sounded loud and clear by researchers and company executives at the recent
Be prepared
If the prospect of Asian soybean rust (ASR) hasn't already given you a scare, keeping track of the treatment options could add to the fright. A dozen
Environmental protectors
Agricultural businesses and individuals must project a positive image by promoting environmental stewardship of the crop protection industry to receive
Learning the lessons
When you've had the chance to visit with farmers, ag retailers, and farm managers for more than 30 years, there's one thing you learn right away about
Value and profits
Although retailers across the country specialize in helping growers produce a wide variety of crops from rice to soybeans to peppers, retailers have one
The "git 'r done" approach
Git 'r done. Anyone who has watched the Blue Collar Comedy Tour knows the phrase has been a good one for Larry the Cable Guy. It might be just as good
Computers don't get tired
The sole purpose of Tri-State LLC, located in Fairmount, ND, is to supply either raw or blended fertilizer for other retailers. For that reason, it has
Complaint control
UNCOOPERATIVE WEATHER patterns in much of the Corn Belt kept many ag retailers and applicators working overtime to keep pace with farmer demands this
Service-selling tips
WHEN SELLING to a customer, you must illustrate value, and to keep a customer, you must prove value over time, says John Wagner, president of AgRePlan
One up on Wal-Mart
AN IMPORTANT part of the success of Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is attributed to its sophisticated inventory management systems. In the world
More E85 at the pump
CHS ANNOUNCES it will provide a Cenex-branded E85 fuel to 22 terminals in Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska and South
Contract savvy
As more products with valuable output traits come out of the crop technology pipeline, so, too, should come new opportunities for ag retailers and growers.
Low impact?
U.S. SOYBEAN producers, bombarded almost daily with reports of new discoveries of Asian soybean rust, may be wondering at what point new findings of the
Urban opportunities
URBANIZATION HAS contributed to the demise of some ag retail operations. But for retailers able to adapt to the changing landscape, it has opened new
3 ideas to help you keep customers
THESE DAYS it's extra challenging to satisfy and keep customers, says Nancy Friedman, president, Telephone Doctor, St. Louis, MO, an international customer
Complete systems
THE WORD may cause some ag retailers to cringe, but not Rod Miller, seed systems manager for Crop Fertility Specialists (CFS), Rossville, IN. Miller says
Wireless grain
COMMODITY Resource Corporation (CRC) based in Caledonia, NY, is one of a growing number of operations that are working to bring bulk commodity handling
Invaluable service
WHY SHOULD ag retailers sell services? The resulting customer interaction is invaluable and helps create long-term ties that are difficult for competitors
Dry run
IN 2005, agricultural retailers confronted grower fears, procured adequate fungicide supplies and developed plans for rapid application, all for a disease
Treat seeds for success
SINCE THE INTRODUCTION of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant traits in corn and soybeans, ag retailers have seen a huge shift
4 ideas for coping with ASR
WORK HARD to manage growers' expectations about Asian soybean rust (ASR), advises Duane Mol, chemical manager for Crop Production Services, Galesburg,
Court good customers
WHAT'S THE best way to keep good customers coming back and to attract new ones? Fix annoying problems The first step is to focus on frustrations, says
To expand or not to expand
EXPANSION THROUGH merger or acquisition has been taking place in the ag retail industry for some time now. Some mergers and acquisitions have gone relatively
Atrazine adjustments
FOR GROWERS concerned with using atrazine to control weeds on sensitive watersheds, management alternatives are plentiful, says Bill Johnson, Purdue University
Strip-till's profit boost
AG RETAIL businesses wanting to expand sales should investigate new ways to help current customers become more profitable, says Dan Towery, ag consultant,
Variable-rate review
GLOBAL POSITIONING systems (GPS) and variable-rate technology (VRT) have been available to ag retailers and their farmer-customers for more than a decade
Invaluable service
WHY SHOULD ag retailers sell services? The resulting customer interaction is invaluable and helps create long-term ties that are difficult for competitors
Natural disaster preparation
LAST YEAR'S hurricanes and flooding made many stop and think about what they would do if they, too, were hit by such a natural disaster. Not long after
Less chemistry, more biotechnology
BY NOW, it's no surprise to most agricultural retailers that few new herbicides are entering the corn and soybean marketplace. Because new product development
Cherry-picked software solutions
WHEN MIDLAND Co-op Inc. and Impact Cooperative Inc. became partners in 2002, the partnership, called Midland-Impact LLP, faced the challenge of integrating
State-of-the-art facility
SYNGENTA SEEDS recently celebrated renovations to its Phillips, NE, corn production facility. The $4.7 million project increases the plant's seed-conditioning
The adjuvant advantage
MORE THAN 4,000 adjuvants are on the market today to help improve a herbicide's performance. Bryan Young, associate professor of weed science at Southern
Ways to manage health-care costs
AS INSURANCE rates have risen over the last few years, ag retailers have looked for more cost-effective ways to offer high-quality benefits for their
Buying flexibility
A NEW 40,000-ton dry fertilizer plant standing alongside a unit-train spur in Alton, IA, has allowed its owners to largely avoid this winter's expensive
Old habits die hard
YOUR GROWERS' crop rotation has most likely changed over the years, but their lime applications may not reflect that change. Some Midwestern researchers
Looking to lenders
CROP INPUT financing programs have become as competitive as the products themselves, and all signs point to a continuation of this trend. The crop input
Tougher beans
STEVE HENRY, who farms near Nevada, IA, is trying to learn everything he can about Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). However, he's frustrated with the lack
Scout for western bean cutworm
WESTERN BEAN cutworms (WBCs) have been a problem in the western Corn Belt since the 1940s and last year were discovered to have migrated further east
Too reliant on Roundup?
RYEGRASS AND marestail were the first two weeds to develop resistance to glyphosate, such as Roundup and Touchdown herbicides, but they won't likely be
Friends of the environment
THE DECISION to invest in new storage and handling facilities in the last few years has reaped rewards for Eastern Farmers Co-op and Farmers Elevator
New mix for pop-ups
FMC CORPORATION has developed a new formulation of its Capture insecticide for corn that has better mixing properties than emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
Environmental edge
SOME AG retail businesses have found a lucrative new enterprise in an unlikely source: manure. Take the Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), Sioux Center,
Memorable field days
FIELD DAY season rolls around again in just a few months. Farmers will attend, knowing they will more than likely get a good meal and a seed cap. But
Soybean rust Is this the year?
AT THIS time a year ago, retailers were scurrying to stock up on fungicides to quell panic among soybean growers about Asian soybean rust (ASR) and finalizing
Price predictions
THIS GROWING season there is good news about nitrogen fertilizer: It appears that prices for the fertilizer will fall in late spring and early summer
Grain storage spillover
LIKE MANY grain-handling businesses, Buckingham Cooperative, near Waterloo, IA, needed to react quickly last year to find enough storage space to accommodate
The Phosphorus Index
NEW EPA and USDA efforts to improve surface water quality throughout the nation emphasize keeping a close eye on phosphorus (P), says Antonio Mallarino,
Just-in-time fertilizer
THE TIME when fertilizer dealers will be able to reliably supply customers who want to book fertilizer just before they need it is coming to an end. Dealers,
Energy anxiety
AFTER HURRICANE Katrina battered the Gulf States in August of last year and inflated the nation's energy-related prices, some ag retailers were caught
Seed trackers
THE MANY new combinations of traits and seed-applied insecticides have quickly multiplied the number of seed choices available to growers. Although most
4 risks in buying fertilizer
PERHAPS THE biggest lesson learned by the agricultural supply industry in the past year is that the business environment is riskier than ever, especially
Nourishing the bottom line
Offering nutrient management services requires a fair amount of investment whether it be in additional staff, training, specific software or simply more
21 days and counting
It generally takes 21 days for a certain behavior to become a habit, says Colleen Francis, president of Engage Selling Solutions, a sales training company
Fall fertilizer forecast
Fertilizer Management has become more of a year-round responsibility than it used to be, says Gayle Melcher, manager of Clarinda Co-op Company, Clarinda,
Covering new ground
Venturing into new markets can have its ups and downs. Some ag retailers have successfully added lawn and garden or hobby farmer product lines, for example
Paid Content 
Enhanced for the Web
