Source: Southeast Farm Press

January 17, 2013 — In the face of mounting concerns about weed resistance and pesticide management in farming, members of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Precision Agriculture team will hold a sprayer clinic Jan. 22 at the E.V. Smith Research Center in Shorter, Ala.

The training is designed for growers, custom operators, service providers and others concerned with pesticide applications.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and is required to participate in the clinic.

John Fulton, an Alabama Extension precision farming specialist and Auburn University associate professor of biosystems engineering, says the training is intended to address pesticide management issues as well as sprayer technology.

“Frankly, a lot of growers and spraying operators are using dated information with respect to their sprayer setups and applications,” he says. “The purpose of this clinic is to provide current information about agricultural sprayers and new spray technology, such as nozzles.”

In these lean and environmentally conscious times, the accurate application of pesticides, and other farm chemicals is a paramount concern for farmers, Fulton says.

“As weed resistance and regulations continue to surface for growers, we hope this training will serve as a valuable resource for addressing issues and providing information, such as nozzle selection for herbicide and pesticide packages, calibration and much more.”

Fulton describes the training as a unique learning opportunity for Southern growers — essentially a “one-stop for all sprayer-related information.”

“I don’t know of any other event in the country that will offer sprayer educational material as well as face-to-face interaction with sprayer manufacturers and spray-product companies — all in one location and covering one specific topic,” he says.

“It offers a very unique opportunity, especially here in the South, for growers and anyone operating or managing agricultural sprayers.

“If you have any questions on sprayers or related technology, this is the event to attend,” Fulton says.

Following registration and opening remarks, Luke Bozeman, technical market manager for BASF, will discuss the current pesticide management outlook.

Later in the morning, Scott McElroy, Auburn University associate professor of agronomy and soils, will update growers on the current weed resistance picture, followed by updates on application issues and technology and a calibration and nozzle demonstration.

During lunch, equipment representatives will provide overviews of their sprayers and their technological features.

Presentations on drift-related issues and droplet calibration will follow in the afternoon.

The day will be capped off with a CASE/IH AIM Command and Capstan PinPoint demonstration and discussion about adjuvants and application strategies for the future.

The clinic will also feature equipment and technology exhibits from some of the leading sprayer manufacturers and suppliers.  Technical representatives from these companies will also be available to answer questions.

Pesticide and CCA points will be available. 

For more information, visit: http://www.aces.edu/anr/precisionag/2012SprayerClinic.php.