More effective weed control option available through Case IH collaboration

A new integrated weed control solution designed to improve effectiveness and efficiency by up to 90 per cent has become available through a collaboration between Case IH and Australian technology company Agtecnic.

Case IH customers will have the option of having a new Patriot 50 Series sprayer fitted with Agtecnic’s newly developed SenseSpray technology which has been designed for more efficiency and precision in controlling weeds.

Agtecnic specialises in “safe, innovative, autonomous solutions to solve challenges in agriculture” and its SenseSpray is a patent-pending green-on-brown spot spraying technology that employs cameras to detect growing plants on a soil or stubble background.

When a weed is detected, the system rapidly triggers individual nozzles to spray weeds with pinpoint accuracy.

Case IH AFS and Patriot product manager Sean McColley said the technology brought a new level of effectiveness and efficiency to a big issue for Australian farmers.

“To be able to offer the SenseSpray system on our Patriot 50 Series sprayers is such an enormous opportunity for customers, who will not only find it game-changing for their weed control operations, but also very straight-forward to operate,” Mr McColley said.

“SenseSpray utilises the technology already in the sprayer cab, and it can also be managed by the tablet provided with each kit to easily set up or run diagnostics from within the cab or while walking around the boom.”

He said SenseSpray could reduce chemical use by up to 90 per cent by using product only where it’s needed, eliminating product and water waste, which also had environmental benefits.

Agtecnic co-founders Peter Roberts and Rob Johnson said they were excited to see how the collaboration evolved, and “how further value can be delivered to customers”.

Kits will become available in time for the summer spraying season through Case IH dealers.