Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/744696
44 NOVEMBER 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com appreciable amount of water," Landers said. "We would still try to maintain the label rate. We're not proponents of skimping on the amount of product, primarily because it's risk and reward — if you take the risk in reducing the amount of product, your reward might be quite low." Applying the sensors to a single-row sprayer at Lamont Fruit Farm in Albion, New York, enabled the farm to reduce sprays to every other row, requiring 50 percent less fuel, according to co-owner Rod Farrow. "All our fire blight, everything we spray for is every other row. We run at 5 mph and use 50 percent less fuel," he said. "We have to run PTO (power take-off) a little faster, we're down a gear, but we're still close to 5 mph." A two-row sprayer Farrow has on the farm runs at close to 5.3 mph. The research team also successfully applied the sen- sors to a traditional airblast sprayer equipped with the louver system. The researchers have developed an in-canopy flow system still to be commercialized. Called the Electro- leaf, the small, triangular sensor simulates a leaf in the canopy, vibrating when the air flow hits it and sending a signal to adjust fan speed. To have more flexibility to adjust spray volume, Landers also recommended using nozzles in clusters. Connecting the sprayer to a bank of four color-coded nozzles, each applying spray at a different rate enables a grower to combine the nozzles in different combinations for up to seven different rates. For instance, banks of noz- zles can be used when there are variations in canopies, such as small replant trees next to large, mature trees, or where there are blocks of different varieties requiring different application rates. The nozzles are commonly used on boom sprayers in the Midwest, he said. Growers need to adjust the tools used today to meet their modern needs, not only to attract workers — "Why disrespect the $10-per-hour worker and give him grand- dad's sprayer to use?" Landers asked — but also to attract young people to agriculture. Technologies that employ the latest software applications and high-tech features to automate the industry, such as robotic harvesters and precision sprayers, are one way to do so. "We want to bring the industry forward, and we want to bring young people into the ag industry," he said. "And I submit to you that legacy sprayers are not the way to do it." • Frost control has become very important to us. In the last 9 years, we have had 5 frost events that have significantly damaged our production. We decided to do something to help mitigate this so our production would be consistent. That's where Orchard-Rite ® wind machines have come into play for us. In mid April of 2014, we reached 24 degrees outside the vineyard, yet we were able to save 100% of the fruit under the machines. Outside of the coverage area, we lost almost all of the fruit. At harvest, we picked over 6 tons per acre in the protected area and less than 1 ton per acre in any unprotected vines. The wind machines also reduced my vine damage. I put the wind machines on 10 year old vines and experienced minimal damage, but any unprotected 1 year old vines were completely decimated by the cold temperatures. In the future, when I set out a new planting, I will install Orchard-Rite ® wind machines to provide protection for the following Spring. Damaging young plants is a huge expense not only in lost production but in extra management costs to replant and retrain damaged vines. I believe that the wind machines will help our Texas wine industry grow consistent crops that our wine makers can depend on to produce superior wines and to reliably supply our markets. "The grape vines under my wind machines yielded 6 tons per acre while my unprotected areas had less than 1 ton per acre." -- Andy Timmons Lost Draw Vineyard Lubbock, TX, USA