Machinerylink

See It, Kill It

Dan Miller
By  Dan Miller , Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
See and Spray Select treats individual weeds, bringing to farmers the ability to reduce their herbicide applications by as much as 77 percent. (Progressive Farmer image provided by John Deere)

See & Spray targeted weed management technology, upgraded 8RX highlight Deere's biggest equipment roll out ever.

John Deere has made public the first commercial application of its long-awaited See & Spray technology. See & Spray Select uses camera technology to detect color differentiations on the ground -- this new Select identifies weeds from soil background -- and sprays individual weeds. Deere says See & Spray Select has a hit rate similar to broadcast spraying while applying 77% less herbicide on average.

Deere is initially marketing See & Spray Select to small-grains farmers who manage weed pressure on fallow acres as a part of their regular rotation. That includes regions east of the Rockies and in the Northwest U.S., in addition to areas in Australia.

The process is fairly remarkable. Thirty-six forward-facing cameras detect weeds, and a processor activates the correct nozzle for treatment. See & Spray analyzes 2,112 square feet per second from a sprayer moving 12 mph. The entire process, from target detection to application, occurs in 200 milliseconds -- about the blink of an eye. See & Spray Select can detect weeds as small as 1/4-inch diameter, Deere says.

Officials stress this first version of the See & Spray application will be followed by increasingly sophisticated products designed to target weeds in corn, soybean and cotton environments in both preemergence and postemergence applications. Treating pigweed in a row-crop application, for example, is simply more challenging.

See & Spray is built onto the foundation of Deere's multinozzled ExactApply technology, introduced in 2017. Of note, the new 400 and 600 Series sprayers equipped with See & Spray Select are the only factory-built solutions enabling farmers to operate both a spot-spray and a broadcast machine in one unit.

See & Spray Select can be ordered beginning later this summer.

See & Spray is only one piece of an equipment and technology rollout that Deere says is its largest ever. Here are the other pieces from that announcement.

THE UPDATED 8

John Deere has given new capacity to its 8 Series Tractors for model-year 2022. The 8 Series of tractors includes the wheeled 8R, two-track 8RT and four-track 8RX.

One novel innovation gives farmers the ability to apply higher rates of fertilizer while planting and to cover up to 80 acres between fills (at 20 gallons per acre). The key is the 1,000-gallon capacity ExactRate Tractor Tanks and a John Deere 1775NT planter with a 600-gallon tank. With tracks also mounted onto the planter, total ground pressure is under 15 pounds per square inch (psi).

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The 8RX tanks and plumbing are factory-installed. Mounted above the rear tracks, the tanks do not increase the width of the tractor or inhibit line of sight.

A second new option, this one for 8R tractors equipped with Independent-Link Suspension, is a Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS). CTIS automates the job of inflating and deflating tires given a tractor's particular task -- for example, road travel versus tillage. When the operator chooses "road" setting, CTIS increases air pressure for smoother travel. When the "field" setting is chosen, CTIS decreases air pressure to create a larger footprint to reduce slip and ground pressure.

All 8 Series Tractors come factory-equipped with JDLink Connect, StarFire 6000 GPS Receiver, Generation 4 CommandCenter Display, AutoTrac Guidance and Automation 4.0 capabilities.

Automation 4.0 has an interesting capability called AutoPath. It allows farmers to collect data from the season's first field pass (strip-till, planting) to establish guidance lines for all other field passes in a year, no matter the machine type or equipment width.

Wheel 8R tractors are available in seven models ranging from 230 to 410 hp. Four models of two-track 8RT tractors are offered from 310 to 410 hp. Four-track 8RX tractors are available from 310 to 410 hp. Model-year 2022 8 Series updates will be available to order later this spring.

PLANTER FOR DISTANCE

Deere's model-year 2022 1775NT planter includes a factory-installed 600-gallon tank and optional tracks. To keep up with the tractor and planter combo, Deere increased seed capacity on the 1775NT by 30% to 130 bushels. The 1775NT planter can be ordered with factory-installed tracks to reduce ground pressure up to 73% (when fully loaded) to 13.3 psi. Model-year 2022 John Deere planters can be ordered beginning later this summer.

SPRAYERS WITH COMFORT

Deere is building new 400 and 600 Series sprayers with larger cabs. There are three comfort packages. The Ultimate package, for example, includes a heated, ventilated leather seat that swivels 24 degrees to the left or right, a 6.5-inch touchscreen satellite- and smartphone-ready radio, five USB ports, a 12-volt outlet and a refrigerator.

Three models of 400 Series sprayers are available: 408R (800-gallon tank, 280-hp PowerTech 6.8-liter engine); 410R (1,000-gallon tank, 310-hp PowerTech 9.0-liter engine; 412R (1,200-gallon tank, 326-hp PowerTech 9.0-liter engine). There are two 600 Series sprayers: 612R (1,200-gallon tank, a 355-hp PowerTech 9.0-liter engine); 616R (1,600-gallon tank, 375-hp PowerTech engine).

The 400 and 600 Series sprayers will be available for ordering in June.

MEET THE HAGIE

Deere is offering an all-new lineup of Hagie self-propelled sprayers for model-year 2022: the STS12, STS16 and STS20. STS sprayers have up to 76 inches of underframe clearance and feature All-Wheel Steer technology to limit crop damage, even when making 90-degree headland turns.

Three tank sizes are available. The largest is the new, 2,000-gallon tank for the STS20. The STS sprayer offers four sizes of Hagie Hybrid Booms in working widths of 90, 100, 120 and 132 feet. Hagie STS sprayers will be available for ordering in June.

BEEFIER SERIES 9

Deere is updating its 2022 John Deere 9 Series tractors. The series includes the wheeled 9R, two-track 9RT and four-track 9RX. To accommodate added horsepower and ballast of articulated 9 Series tractors, several undercarriage, axle and front-frame components were strengthened. That design work increased the weight of the tractor and the maximum available ballast from 60,000 to 67,000 pounds.

Select 9 Series tractors can be ordered with hydraulic Intelligent Power Management (IPM) that provides up to 50 extra horsepower when pulling equipment over tough terrain and over large hills. Hydraulic IPM is available on the 9RT 570, and 9R/9RX 590 and 640 tractors.

Restyled 9 Series cabs have more: more storage, more USB ports and improved connectivity. The Ultimate comfort and convenience package, for example, includes a refrigerator and a heated/ventilated massaging seat that swivels 25 degrees left and 40 degrees right.

There are six 9R tractor models ranging from 390 to 640 hp; three two-track 9RT models have engines producing 470 to 570 hp; four 9RX four-track tractors boast 490 to 640 hp.

BETTER AIR SEEDING

For model-year 2022, Deere is adding its RelativeFlow Blockage detection system to all of its air-seeding tools. The detection system helps farmers make sure the product is being accurately and uniformly distributed.

TruSet In-Cab Downforce adjustment and new Quick-Change Blades also are being offered for all model-year 2022 John Deere no-till air-seeding tools. TruSet eliminates the need for manual downforce adjustments. Quick-Change Blades reduce the time it takes to change opener blades by up to 45% compared to current ProSeries opener blades.

For more information about the company's new equipment, watch for updates at www.deere.com.

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Dan Miller