Advanced spraying systems have benefits, but they also have costs that must be taken into consideration
Spot spraying isn’t a new idea, and the equipment capable of performing selective applications has been around for decades. However, the technology that supports this approach is advancing. Tom Wolf, an application specialist with Agrimetrix Research & Training and Sprayers101, recently shared some of the new research, technology developments, and application techniques during the Western […] Read moreTag Archives spraying — page 2
Farms can be made pollinator friendly
Glacier FarmMedia – Producers pay a lot of attention to inputs, seeding rates and combine settings to expand profit margins. According to ag entomology experts, they should also pay attention to pollinator populations and diversity. That means more than honeybees. In Saskatchewan, there are up to 400 different species of bees that contribute as pollinators. […] Read more
Paraglider powers a new kind of sprayer
Autonomous aerial sprayer was designed to maximize the flight time required for the large farms in Western Canada
Glacier FarmMedia – Scouting for new technology to make farming more productive and profitable is a key part of Janay Meisser’s job as director of innovation for United Farmers of Alberta,. The Stratus AirSprayer, a drone tool unveiled by Saskatchewan-based Precision AI in July, is unlike anything she’s seen so far. “I think they’ve got […] Read more
Herbicide approved for industrial use by drone
The door to spraying herbicides with drones opened a crack with the Canadian approval of a herbicide by drone for industrial application. Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency approved Garlon XRT herbicide, the first industrial vegetation product with drone application on the label. “We are the first company to have a pesticide registered with PMRA for […] Read more
Clean water improves the efficacy of herbicides
Farmers urged to drop the water volume in their mixes when using hard water because cations can tie up herbicide
Glacier FarmMedia – Water cleanliness should be a top priority for producers when sourcing water for spraying said Kim Brown, Manitoba provincial weeds specialist. Spraying with dirty water risks contaminants tying up active ingredients in herbicides, rendering them ineffective. “If you’ve got dirty water, (substances in there) will actually antagonize or will tie up glyphosate […] Read more
Pesticide damage seen in small-town Saskatchewan
WINNIPEG – In mid-August last year, people in Speers, Sask., noticed a spray plane flying over the town and nearby for three consecutive days. The plane was applying pesticide to fields around Speers, a community of 70 people about 100 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon. The residents didn’t think much about it because spray planes are […] Read more
Spray drift concerns spark SARM resolution
Rural politicians asked for more teeth in regulations and for up to 12 months to report the damage from pesticide drift
REGINA — Rural residents who suspect spray drift has damaged their property are supposed to contact the applicator as soon as possible. But the current 30-day window isn’t long enough to determine whether or how much damage occurred, said a resolution at last month’s Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities convention. The resolution from the RM […] Read more
Study determines night spraying can benefit pollinators
Spraying for the lesser clover leaf weevil is not only easier on pollinators but also provides more effective pest control
Forage and seed producers heard about the benefits of night spraying for red clover crops during the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission’s recent annual meeting. The commission conducted two on-farm experiments of night spraying in June 2021. Graham Parsons, pollinator biosecurity specialist with the Saskatchewan agriculture department, identified the pollinators that benefit from nighttime pesticide […] Read more
Spraying in dry times can be tricky
Heat waves and dry weather added to the headaches faced by canola producers during spraying season. “The main concern with the heat is just the evaporation of water from the droplets, and that causes two main problems,” said Tom Wolf, owner of Agrimetrics Research and Training based in Saskatoon. Other stories in the 2023 Canola […] Read more
Precision sprayer easy on crop
Ecorobotix recently sold its first Canadian sprayers to two major Quebec vegetable growers who each crop more than 1,000 acres. They deliver fresh produce daily direct to New York and Boston. One of those growers is Guillaume Cloutier. “We use it every day,” he says. “I think we’ve sprayed about 700 acres with it so […] Read more
