MICRO-CHIP TECHNOLOGY COMES TO WAIMARINO

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 8, 26 July 1983, Page 13

MICRO-CHIP TECHNOLOGY COMES TO WAIMARINO

Micro-chip technology has now moved to the world of crop and pasture spraying in the Waimarino.

Ian Penny, (pictured) Raetihi based weed spraying and pest control contractor, has just set up a new spraying rig which boasts a micro chip controlled system that calculates the area covered while spraying. This ensures very accurate control of application rates. In turn this ensures effective control for the client without wasting money on over application. Similarly the system ensures that enough spray is being applied so that the desired result is achieved. Ian is very pleased with the control he now has while operating the spray boom on the new rig. "While over 10 years experience in the area has given me a terrific knowledge of what, how much and where to apply the chemicals, this microchip control system gives my clients an even better job" he said. "Client service is the name of the game as far as I'm concerned." Ian's new spraying rig is based on the latest 3.5 litre V8 Landrover vehicle. Using the same, but detuned, motor and drive train as the Range Rover. This vehicle is the civilian version of the 600 vehicle order recently placed by the NZ Army. The transmission operates in permanent fourwheel drive. A diff lock is activated when difficult terrain needs to be negotiated and the vehicle can climb slopes up to 45% in good conditions. The spraying unit consists of a 900 litre water tank; 200 metres of high pressure hose for spot control with the hand gun; an 8hp petrol engine to drive the pump and a 10 metre boom for

pasture and crop work. At the moment Ian is experimenting with widening the wheel track on the vehicle so that it can be used for spraying work on row crops in market gardens. Although this is a quiet time of the year for this type

of work, Ian's current work is concentrated on Barley Grass control which was a major problem in this area some years ago. "I'm doing myself out of a job with Barley Grass because our eradication programme has the weed

pretty much under control" he said. For all that farmers must constantly keep a eye out for any signs of Barley Grass.