Magazine - Sprayer Technics Flat Out!

By Press Release in General News on 18th Jul 2010 13:00

The use of liquid fertiliser and trace elements is becoming more popular thanks to better seasonal conditions and increased application know-how.

Manufacturers such as Peter Stevens, Sprayer Technics, Ballarat, have been busy this autumn setting up seeders and spray carts with various systems to apply liquid fertilisers, trace elements and other chemicals. "We have been flat out," Peter said. "The dry seasonal conditions of the past few years have not helped the uptake of the liquid technology as it's been hard to obtain crop yield comparisons when the crops have been so poor," Peter said.

"But we have been busy the past few months and I reckon that's just the tip of the iceberg. "It's taken about 20 years for no tillage systems to catch on in the mainstream and the uptake of liquid fertiliser over granular is definitely gaining momentum in the southern states." Peter started Sprayer Technics about three years ago to specialise in the manufacture of application systems for liquid fertiliser and other chemicals.

"We do general engineering work as well but the liquid products are the focus," Peter said. Sprayer Technics relies on high-grade polypropylene for most of its plumbing when it comes to liquid fertiliser, which can be extremely corrosive on metal components.

"We manufacture most of the components locally, such as the manifolds, which all come with a flow and blockage indicator for each tine so it's easy to maintain and monitor the system." Peter described the plumbing system for fertiliser and trace elements as similar to that of a boom spray.

"But it's a little more complicated thanks to the specific gravity of the liquids being heavier than water." Special fertiliser-grade polypropylene tanks are used which have 30 to 50 per cent more polypropylene in the walls compared to water tanks.

Peter said depending on chemical compatibility, a range of products can be applied at the same time. "The combinations are numerous when you start talking about fertiliser, trace elements and other chemical such as fungicides or herbicides," Peter said.

"But you have to ensure compatibility between the products. We recommend consulting an agronomist before mixing 'brews' on farm."  Some of the gear fitted recently by Sprayer Technics includes a 20m-wide air seeder which will be used in the Mallee.

"We have even fitted a couple of systems to windrowers and the idea will be to spray a herbicide on to rye grass while windrowing canola. "The savings by using that system are substantial because you are dropping the need to come back after windrowing and spray a herbicide as a separate activity ... that means more efficiency."

• For more details phone Peter Stevens on 0427 131 058.
www.sprayertechnics.com.au

Read more articles in General News, by Press Release or from July 2010.