According to the company, AutoSelect Pro is the latest update of the well-proven automatic nozzle control system and adds curve compensation to an extensive set of features. This system automatically switches the nozzles with the operational speed to ensure a consistent application rate. It also automatically adapts the working height of the boom, removing workload from the operator, and improving performance.
The curve compensation system adjusts the application rate when cornering. The quantity is increased on the outside of the curve and reduced on the inside. Horsch sprayers with AutoSelect can be upgraded to AutoSelect Pro.
There is intensive focus on spot spraying to make plant protection even more efficient. Horsch is developing spot spraying technologies based on its pulse nozzle system, PrecisionSpray. This system is in widespread use, which would offer practical upgrade path as spraying technologies develop in the future.
Spotting means that the individual plant is assessed and treated instead of the whole field, allowing sprays to be used in an even more efficient and effective way. Horsch is currently researching different methods, such as green on brown (GOB) and green on green (GOG) detection, and carrying out field tests with different camera manufacturers.
The company explains that the objective is to adapt the new technology to meet the different environmental conditions and requirements of the farmers around the world. GOB plays a major role in dry regions, such as Australia, to remove individual weeds from the stubbles. GOG is far more difficult to implement due to the small differentiation between weeds and emergent crops, and is proving a challenge for experts across the agricultural industry. GOG is important in northern Europe, for example, for the application of herbicides or fungicides.
