ANALYSIS ▶▶▶
Is direct injection spraying technology about to take off?
Direct injection spraying systems have been around for years, but never really gained much popularity. Future Farming finds out why and asks if it might be about gain traction as farmers shift to a more high-tech approach to pesticide application to cut cost and environmental impact
BY ADAM CLARKE A
gricultural engineers have come up with all sorts of innovative solutions to farmers’ problems over the years. Some hit the big time and are
seen on farms the world over, while others flop and end up banished to the back of the shed to gather dust. Then there are those in between –
technology that lingers in the background, finding a handful of niche uses and limited adoption by hardcore enthusiasts. Direct injection systems for sprayers fit into
the latter category, having been around since the early 1980s, but never truly taken off. However, agronomic and environmental
concerns, combined with a drive to cut costs, could be about to trigger a slight resurgence in the technology, although some significant barriers need to be overcome first.
Simple concept So, what is direct injection? The concept is simple and makes perfect sense: you have a “carrier” tank – typically water – and one or more chemical tanks.
Each chemical tank has a pump that injects
neat pesticide at the desired rate into the carrier in a pressurised spray line before reaching the nozzles. In principle, direct injection systems have
several advantages, the first being a simple rinsing process. The chemical flow is switched off and clean
water runs through the contaminated lines to clear them out, leaving the operator with a clean slate for the next crop. There are no washings to dispose of and it
reduces overall residue build-up in the system, cutting the risk of compromising crop safety.
10
John Deere offer a direct injection system option on their US-built self-propelleds
This is particularly appealing on fresh-
produce units where a high number of crops can be planted sequentially or in small plots, requiring operators to frequently switch products or mixes. With a direct injection system on board, this can be done from the cab with a flick of a switch and systems on the market today can carry five or six products at once, offering a high degree of flexibility and significant time savings to boot. In addition, no measuring of product is
required, so once the desired chemicals are on board, operators may only need to top up the main tank with water over the course of the working day.
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 9 November 2017 Direct injection systems save money and
offer environmental benefits, too. Operators can use application maps to spot
spray products just where they are needed for a specific weed, pest or disease problem, cutting overall pesticide use and the farm’s chemical bill. Some would also argue that while
transporting a laden sprayer on the road, if an accident were to happen, a small spillage of concentrated pesticide is easier to contain than thousands of litres of tank mix running down the road. These are all admirable advantages and begs the question, why aren’t there more direct injection systems in use?
JOHN DEERE
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