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Press Release
August 6, 2003
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Related Contact:
Bruce Lewis
NTech Industries, Inc.
1-707-964-3844
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Weedseeker® Proves Effective In Orchards
Material Costs and Labor Cost Drop Sharply at Tulare & Hamilton City Farms
Ukiah, Calif. - Until purchasing WeedSeeker in February, Hoffman Farms' manager Bob Benetiz needed two men, a manually-controlled spray system (that frequently broke down) and hand sprayers to keep 800 acres of pistachios and oranges free of weeds.
Now, one man and the WeekSeeker DB208 with automated speed and herbicide delivery controls, is all he needs to get the job done.
"I'm buying one third as much Roundup and we only need one man instead of two," said Benetiz. "I estimate that it only takes one fourth as much time for weed control."
He also says that he believes that expanding from the current system, which sprays eight-foot strips under the trees, to a full 19-foot boom, will eliminate the need for tilling.
"The only reason I disc is because it is cheaper than other methods," he explained, "but with WeedSeeker that's not an issue."
Terry Devine at Willow Glen Orchards in Hamilton City, 10 miles west of Chico, reported similar results: "We saw a savings of 60-65 per cent in material costs this year." Devine uses a 22-foot WeedSeeker system, mounted on a John Deere Gator, to spray 750 acres of almonds.
At the World Ag Expo in Tulare this year, NTech Industries unveiled the next-generation WeedSeeker selective spray system with new automated controls that automatically synchronize herbicide delivery with vehicle speed.
WeedSeeker is used around the world for precision application of herbicides and pesticides. Applications include weed elimination from vineyards, orchard, fallow fields, cotton, other farm crops, city streets, military bases and railroad right of ways.
The system uses advanced optics and computer circuitry to sense the presence of a weed. When a weed enters the sensor's field of view, it signals a spray nozzle to deliver a precise amount of herbicide, spraying weeds, not bare ground.
In trees and vines, the WeedSeeker is used to spray middles and berms. Each sensor detects and sprays weeds in a 12-inch wide path.
Since the WeedSeeker uses an internal light source, which emits thousands of infrared and near infrared beams per second, spraying can take place at night when calm weather minimizes chemical drift. This extends the operating day and into the night which lessens chemical volatility.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), university researchers and the US Military tested WeedSeeker and confirmed claims of up to 80% reduction in herbicide.
NTech Industries, headquartered in Ukiah, California, is the world leader in optical sensors for agricultural research, precision fertilizer applications, and weed and pest control for military and civilian uses. NTech products represent break-through technology with important revenue generation and environmental benefits.
Information on the company and its products are available on the Internet at www.ntechindustries.com.
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