With a 14pc hike in fertiliser and chemical input costs over the past four years, there's a lot of interest in equipment able to deliver savings to producers.
Step forward Crop Optics Australia's WeedSeeker technology that is in the forefront when it comes to paring back soaring input costs, making it a 'no-brainer' to consider it as part of any modern spray equipment armoury.
The company's sales manager, Scott Jameson, had an attentive audience when speaking at a Cambooya, Qld, field day organised by Condamine Alliance and the Natural Heritage Trust, which were keen to hear of the technology's ability to reduce herbicide, fertiliser, insecticide and fungicide useage.
Mr Jameson said early weed sensing developments were pioneered both in Australia and the United States in the early '80s, subsequently overcoming shortcoming in their inability to work at night, also their performance in targeting smaller-sized weeds.
The upshot is a far more sophisticated solution with the original Australian concept now being imported into this country from US-based N-Tech Industries since 2001.
Trialled commercially for a season, it's "very exciting" cost savings quickly became evident.
Mr Jameson said Crop Optics, now distributing its WeedSeeker automatic spot spray system Australia-wide, had some six to seven units operating up until the end of 2006.
"Last year we sold 16 broadacre machines and this year, so far, we've sold pretty close to 55 with glyphosate prices having a huge effect on our sales," Mr Jameson said.
In action, light emitting diodes point two different light sources, namely infra-red and near infra-red, towards the ground.
"Everything has a different reflective signature, with a green weed having a different reflective signature to stubble or black dirt," Mr Jameson said.
So light reflected from the target is captured by a detector at the front of each sensor positioned across a spray boom.
The electronic wizardry then analyses the reflective light, ready to trigger a solenoid valve which squirts an appropriate amount of chemical onto the targeted weed.
All this can take place at speeds up to 20kph, requiring a stable boom to aid operational efficiency with the preferred spray height ranging from 650mls to 850mls.
"The new technology advances are significant in that it (the system) does not rely on ambient light as it has its own light source - so can work day and night, plus the sensors can be placed under shields for in-crop work," Mr Jameson said.
"All our users say they are saving about 80pc of their chemical when they use the WeedSeeker in fallow.
"There are still times during the year when you will have to do an overall spray – so it's not the silver bullet that you can use every time."
Operationally, Crop Optics says feedback from users suggests most producers are using their WeedSeekers for about 50pc of their spray programmes.
The efficiency of the system is such that in stubble, it can effectively treat targets roughly the size of the top of a beer can.
Interestingly, the system can be retro-fitted to most of the sturdier spray booms currently on the market.
Each sensing head weighs about 1.3kg, including the solenoid and all necessary wiring.
Mr Jameson said equipping a 24m (80ft) wide sprayer with the new technology costs in the order of $106,000, plus gst.
In a best-case scenario he knew of one operator who had saved $60,000 worth of glyphosate over an initial 5000ha spray programme.
Mr Jameson said the pay back period for most users usually was less than two years.
* More details are available at www.weedseeker.com.au
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