Timing is everything, especially when it comes to controlling weeds, insects and diseases. Spray delays of even a day or two, in some instances, can cause substantial erosion in yield potential.
As much as Shane Reinneck values residue, the Freeburg, Ill., no-tiller knows residue slows the warming of his soils, forcing him to be a little more patient than conventional-till neighbors when it comes to planting.
Research from around the world clearly documents that yield losses occur as a result of equipment passes through the field. Yield reductions occur from either direct damage to the standing crop or from the compacting of the soil, or both.
No-tillers seeking more precise chemical placement have new tools that not only makes application easier and more precise, they save money in the process.
The sprayer is becoming the most important piece of equipment on the farm for assuring top crop yields. It’s the only machine that can protect your profits every time it goes over the ground.
Timing probably ranks as the most important issue in farming, especially when it comes to spraying, says Phil Needham, a widely known ag consultant and a National No-Tillage Conference speaker.
At least four emerging trends could be spotted at the Farm Progress Show, the annual display of farm equipment and services held for 3 days this summer near Decatur, Ill.
With weed control becoming more critical with the growth of reduced tillage and expansion of continuous corn acres, more no-tillers are getting a quicker start with fall herbicide applications.
After the asian soybean rust scare hit in autumn of 2004, many of us in the sprayer industry began advocating the use of twin flat fan nozzles to better treat the disease. It turns out we were wrong. By creating two spray patterns out of one, twin flat fan nozzles reduce the force of each spray by half, meaning there is not much force with which to penetrate the soybean canopy.
Greg Simpson has seen the big mistakes and speaks from experience when offering advice to no-tillers considering buying a sprayer. "The main thing is to ask yourself what your needs are. If you see a sprayer you like, ask yourself if the wheel spacings are right. Are the nozzle spacings right? Is the clearance what you need? Those are the kinds of things that should determine which sprayer you buy"; he says.
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On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Montag Manufacturing, growers from across the U.S. share their predictions for the upcoming planting season, including one no-tiller who’s “bullish” about a great spring.
Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.
The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.