Do you have a weed management plan in place?
You should.

Weeds left uncontrolled can cause significant yield loss and become difficult to manage later on.

And they aren’t only hitting yields, they are taking money right out of your pocket as well. Weeds can sequester nutrients and moisture from the soil as well as competing for space, light and potentially carrying diseases which attack crops. This competition not only reduces grain yield and quality but can also impede harvesting.

According to Greg Brooke, Colin McMaster and Penny Heuston – authors of the 2021 edition of NSW’s Department of Primary Industries Weed Control in Winter Crops, “Weed control is a numbers game. Growers should aim to reduce numbers and keep them low with an ongoing program. An integrated weed management system, combining all the available methods, is the key to successful weed control.”

Their recommendations for winter crop weed control include:

• A well-managed crop rotation program in each paddock
• Hay-making or silage-making in crops and pastures
• Pasture management
• Good agronomic practices such as using weed‑free seed, sowing on time with optimal plant populations and adequate nutrition all contribute to good weed control management
• Timely cultivation including fallow and stubble weed control such as the control offered by WEED-IT optical spot spraying (LINK TO WEED-IT PAGE)
• Harvest weed-seed management
• In-crop weed control – both pre-emergent and early post-emergent herbicide application

The management guide goes on to provide a number of recommendations for successfully using herbicides, including:

• Plan your spray operation, ie check paddock sizes, tank capacities, water availability and supply. Calculate the amount of herbicide required for each paddock and tank load.
• Carefully check crop and weed growth stages before deciding upon a specific post-emergent herbicide
• Carefully read product labels and follow all recommendations
• Use good quality water, preferably rainwater
• Use good application equipment checked frequently for performance and output
• Check boom height with spray pattern operation for full target coverage
• Check accuracy of boom width with guidance systems or marking equipment
• Check wind speed:
  • a light breeze helps herbicide penetration into crops.
  • do not spray in strong wind; there could be spray drift onto sensitive crops and pastures, roadways, dams, trees, watercourses or public places. Note: All chemicals can drift – see Reducing herbicide spray drift on page 22 of the management guide.
  • do not spray in zero wind conditions.
• Do not spray if rain is imminent or when heavy dew or frost is present.
• Select the appropriate nozzle type for the application. Beware of compromising nozzle types when tank mixing herbicides with fungicides or insecticides.
• Keep a record of each spray operation. It is a legal requirement in NSW and in most other Australian states and territories. Forms are available online from several sources.

Croplands has been building sprayers for nearly half a century. In that time, our range has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of Australian growers and spray contractors alike.

This year is no different, with a new and improved boom prime/recirculation/flush system now available on Croplands Pegasus Broadacre Trailed Sprayers.

Boom prime/recirculation/flush

As a subsidiary of crop protection company Nufarm, Croplands has an in-depth understanding of the importance of effective and efficient chemical application.

“With input and labour costs ever-increasing, it is more important than ever for growers and sprayer operators to minimise product waste and maximise productivity,” says Steve Norton, Croplands Portfolio Manager.

“Croplands’ new boom prime, recirculation and flush system is designed to aid agitation and ensure the boom is fully primed with fresh chemical from the very first headland spray increasing sprayer efficiency and productivity whilst also reducing product wastage and minimising environmental impact.”

The new system recirculates fluid from the outside of the boom towards the centre within minutes, ensuring the tank mix is correct from the very first spray.

Flushing booms is also safe and efficient with the system reverse flushing liquid through the boom section valves, from the outside of the boom and back to the centre, returning product to the tank.

The system is activated via the master switch in the tractor cab making it safe and efficient for the operator.

“Taking learnings from leading global manufacturers of self-propelled sprayers, we have been able to develop a system that is both an efficient and cost-effective solution for all broadacre farmers”

The system is standard on Croplands Pegasus 8000 and 7000-litre models and available as an option on the 6000 and 5000-litre models.

Pegasus: Exceptional productivity

Croplands Pegasus trailed sprayers are renowned for their exceptional productivity and effortless operation. Engineered with the latest technology, Pegasus sprayers set the standard for reliability and efficiency – season after season.

The largest model in the Pegasus range features an 8000-litre main tank. It is designed for large scale farming, with boom sizes of 33m and 36m.

The Pegasus 7000 offers additional versatility with an integrated 1500-litre storage/freshwater tank in addition to the 7000-litre main tank. Boom sizes for this model are 33m and 36m.

Other models in the Pegasus range have 5000- and 6000-litre tanks, and boom sizes of 24-36m.

Pinto: Simplicity and functionality

For those operators looking for a smaller trailed sprayer, Croplands Pinto sprayers offer simplicity, functionality and durability in a compact design. Boasting a robust chassis, superior boom stability and straightforward operating systems, Pintos are ideal for farmers and contractors alike.

There are two options in the Pinto range. The Pinto 4000 has a 4000-litre tank and 18m-24m boom while the Pinto 3000 has a 3000-litre tank and 16m-24m boom.

Along with Croplands’ rugged chassis and hitch, Pinto trailed sprayers have an efficient 160 litre/minute diaphragm pump. Other features are hydraulic accumulator boom suspension, and big 30- or 42-inch wheels fitted to a heavy-duty axle with trailing arm rubber mount suspension.

View 2021 Croplands Broadacre Trailed Spray Range

A good sprayer works well in ideal conditions. The perfect sprayer works anywhere.

This is what Victorian farmer Andrew Calvert likes about his 36m Pegasus 6000 trailed sprayer from Croplands.

It has a consistent accuracy through a huge speed range. Whether it is creeping along through a deep headland ditch at 6 kph or scooting across a dead flat pasture paddock at 20 kph, it ensures accurate rates and droplet size.

Andrew Calvert

The Pegasus 6000’s ability to consistently apply the chemical at any speed is achieved through Croplands Air Pro application package, its three-tiered system that ensures the correct spray rate at whatever speed the sprayer travels.

Air Pro does this by automatically selecting nozzles. For example, at tier one it may use green 015 nozzles. As the speed increases Air Pro switches to a second set of nozzles, say the yellow 02 nozzle. As the sprayer goes even faster it will turn on both, giving the equivalent volume as a 035 nozzle.

Andrew says whatever he needs, the Pegasus delivers. He farms 1900 ha near Chatsworth in Western Victoria. It is a 50:50 mixed cropping and grazing operation that produces barley, beans, canola and wheat as well as pasture.

The Pegasus 6000 is a trailed sprayer with a 6000-litre tank and a 36m boom. Booms are available in 24m, 30m, 33m and 36m for this tank size.

With that 36m boom, you could be forgiven for thinking the Pegasus 6000 can only operate in smooth paddocks, but it is fitted with a hydraulic suspension system that gives a smooth boom ride in all conditions.

This is enhanced by guidance from five boom height control sensors, which keep the boom at the correct application height for the targets you are trying to hit.

Additional shock absorption is provided by the pendulum-type, floating self-leveller that provides stability during turns.

For additional protection, it has breakaway boom ends, boom skids and fence line protectors. Wing lift is available as an option on all models, to clear troughs and other obstacles.

The best protection of all is the robust build. The Pegasus chassis is a proven design and it has large radius wheels. All together it will spray just about anywhere.

Andrew specified a Hypro hydraulic fill pump and product pump to minimise fill time and maximise working time. The product pump also operates very smoothly and can better deal with the changing pressures and requirements of the Air Pro system.

The Pegasus 6000 has a 470-litre rinse tank, a 20-litre fresh water tank for hand washing and a 60-litre chemical induction hopper, another feature that ensures it will fit in with what ever you want to spray.

Controlling the Pegasus is easy with the Raven ISOBUS-compatible central control panel that gives control over all functions – filling, mixing, flushing and spraying.

At the end of the day, the boom hydraulically folds in for easy road transport.

Andrew’s previous sprayer was also a Pegasus, an earlier 4000 model with a 24m boom.

He says the increased capacity and working width of his new sprayer gives him the ability to make the most of the good spraying days he gets in the wet Western Victoria winters.

“Our old sprayer was getting some age on it. We took the opportunity to step up in capacity while there was still good value in the trade. We looked at all available options and stuck with the Croplands design as we couldn’t fault the old sprayer.”

Andrew bought his Pegasus from Phillips Farm Machinery in Hamilton. He has been impressed with the back-up service they have provided.

The guys at Croplands have been fantastic getting everything set up with the machine, tractor and Trimble guidance. They have also ironed out a couple of minor dramas. They know their product and are willing to stand by it.

Andrew Calvert

This means when farmers or contractors buy a sprayer from Croplands, they are not just buying a sprayer. They are buying a wrap-around service from people with in-depth knowledge of spray products and their application. 

Andrew’s experience fits the Croplands mantra – deliver the ideal mix of new technology and design whilst keeping things simple, reliable and excellent value for money.

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