No matter what commodity producers are growing, farmers strive to cut down on chemical use not only for the environment, but also for what that savings will do for their bottom line.
This is the experience of Dalton Magill, a row crop and cattle farmer in Verona, N.D. Within his operation, they raise corn, soybeans, dry edible beans and cattle. One pressure point they found on their farm was the input costs associated with dry edible bean production.
"The main reason we were getting into precision spraying was to see if we could cut some chemical costs for our dry edible beans and still do a good job at doing it," Magill says. "Inputs are high on dry beans, especially on the chemical side, with not really any new inputs to mitigate this."
The Magill operation decided that the next move to cut costs was to turn to a precision spraying technology provider, Greeneye Technology.
Economic edge
With every advancement in agricultural technology, it is crucial that there is a cost savings associated with it. In just one year of using the Greeneye system, Magill realized significant savings even on just one crop.
"Just on the edible dry beans last year, we saved almost $40,000 on chemical costs," he says. "You could invest that in a lot of places, like plant health. Forty grand in savings on just one crop is a big deal."
Greeneye's retrofit solution allowed Magill to upgrade his existing sprayer, adding precision spraying capabilities alongside traditional broadcast application, without the need to purchase a new machine.
Nadav Bocher, CEO of Greeneye Technology, explains that beyond significantly reducing chemical costs, the Greeneye system offers additional benefits.
"We are leading on the savings, but we understand that efficacy and operator efficiency is also important," Bocher says.
With the ability to have the second herbicide application being more targeted, users of this technology will see the chemical savings firsthand.
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Amit Jhala, Extension weed management specialist, has conducted many different trials utilizing different precision spraying technologies. From the economic standpoint, he also sees the return on investment with the opportunity to try new and emerging chemicals.
With precision spraying, the opportunity to invest in new chemicals becomes a reality for farmers that could otherwise not justify purchasing a new chemical that was released.
"By the time that chemical comes to the market, it becomes so expensive that growers cannot afford it if they want to apply in broadcast application," Jhala says. "With precision spraying, they can buy this effective chemical because they are using targeted spraying."
Unique to the Greeneye system is the dual tank feature that can give more efficacy to the chemical because there is no mixing.
"The precision sprayer has a dual tank option that means you can apply two herbicides from different tanks at the same time," Jhala says. "Some studies we did suggest that this feature can reduce herbicide antagonism if applied from different tanks compared with mixing in the same tank in traditional sprayers."
Good for environment
If your operation is looking to cut chemical costs and can justify investing in this technology, Jhala has glowing reviews based on agronomic research done at UNL.
"If you applied herbicide and then if it rained in a day or two, then there will be less chance for runoff of that chemical because you are not applying everywhere; you are just applying when it is needed," Jhala says. "So, because of the chemical savings, you will see less chemical just sitting on the soil to be lost, either by runoff due to rain, or even there is a chemical loss that can happen due to photo degradation."
Not only are you reducing the amount of chemical applied, but plant health also can be bolstered through the targeted spraying approach.
"Another benefit is we also have seen relatively less crop injury when you use target application," Jhala says.
In practice, Magill has seen the benefits to soil health because of the precise weed control that precision spraying offers.
"I think the less chemical we can throw out there is the better for everyone," Magill says. "It is better on your soil biology, and then it might help with resistance."
Future focused
From cost savings to better soil health, farmers are quickly adopting the new technology. Whether they are retrofitting their current machinery, which is a benefit of Greeneye Technology, or buying a new sprayer with the technology already installed, precision spraying companies are already looking to what is next.
"We're developing the Greeneye Plus platform, which will empower farmers to maximize the value they gain from this technology," Bocher says. "It will go beyond herbicides, enabling precise application of fungicides, micronutrients and fertilizers, ensuring greater efficiency and sustainability in their operations."
Jhala can see precision spraying going even further in the future, to the point where the first application of herbicide does not have to be a broadcast application.
"In the future, I wish we can do some research, and identify somehow, by using some laser technology to identify where the weed seeds are present in the soil," Jhala notes. "If we can apply that preemergence residual herbicide in a target application, that will be really useful, because right now we can use this precision sprayer only for postemergence application."
The future of spraying appears to be bright, giving producers more options and tools to better manage weeds and take care of the soil beneath their feet.
