With the benefit of several in-season rate capabilities via AutoTrac automation and ExactApply See and Spray Select has the settings edge
Local growers played a crucial role in testing improvements to John Deere’s See & Spray™ Select, now able to offer in-season variable rate capabilities via AutoTrac™ automation and ExactApply™ technologies.
The updates were announced officially at the Commodity Classic trade show in the US, held in Denver Colorado, and will provide growers with more options to improve application consistency and accuracy across the whole growing cycle.
“Application equipment makes an average of three passes over the same paddock during a growing season so it’s vital to maximise the effectiveness of each application,” explains Royce Bell the John Deere Australia and New Zealand Production and Precision Ag Manager.
“These updates will help farmers manage input costs and crop damage; two highly impactful things that help improve the bottom line.”
See & Spray Select variable rate updates
The See & Spray technology updates have been shown to improve chemistry application in testing and validation in several local farm operations where testing was applied.
“See & Spray Select has historically been used to control weeds in fallow paddocks, but with added variable rate capabilities, operators can unlock opportunities for precise application and product savings through in-season fungicide, desiccant, pre-harvest passes and more,” Royce Bell adds.
“Local farmers have been instrumental in the development of these latest updates, with testing undertaken on local farm operations in locations across Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, and also encumbering multiple crop types.”
Operators can see the level of green biomass that spray cameras detects across the boom, with the ability to vary the volume of product applied from each nozzle. These variable rate capabilities require a G5 or G5Plus CommandCenter™ display.
“The added variable rate option with See & Spray technology gives small grain growers the versatility to leverage the chemical label limits and vary the volume applied, based on the in-paddock biomass variations,” Royce Bell continues.
“Every paddock has variations of crop growth and biomass that has traditionally been treated at a blanket rate. This additional See & Spray Select function allows the operator to apply the product at a rate relative to the crop density – this can either reduce total volume applied or apply the same volume but with a higher quality result, or a combination of both.”
See & Spray Select will be available from the factory on model year 2026 John Deere 400 and 600 Series Sprayers with 27.4 m (90 ft.), 30.5 m (100 ft.) or 36.6 m (120 ft.) steel booms.
For earlier models, See & Spray Select will be available as a precision upgrade kit and the ExactApply upgrade kit will allow even more older sprayers to utilise these latest technologies. Depending on the model year, the upgrade paths and technology functions may differ.
ExactApply updates increase spray range
John Deere has also introduced ExactApply Variable Rate capabilities, including Multi-Rate across the boom with AutoSelect Pulsing (A+B pulse width modulation nozzle switching).
“With AutoSelect pulsing enabled, sprayer operators can now vary multiple application rates across the entire boom – up to 11 unique sections – leading to more precise product placement,” Royce Bell explains.
“Operators will also have increased rate range for variable rate prescriptions and curve compensation.”
This technology is available as a software update for model year 2023 to 2025 sprayers, while model year 2026 will come factory installed with the updated software functions.
Prevent crop damage with updated AutoTrac
John Deere application equipment now has two additional options available to reduce operator stress, prevent crop damage and ensure a more seamless application experience.
AutoTracTurn Automation (ATTA) and AutoTrac Vision 2.0 have been designed to provide more consistent passes across the paddock with each application.
“ATTA technology is now readily available on John Deere and Hagie sprayers, helping ensure consistent and accurate turns at the end of each pass,” Royce Bell adds.
“It accurately steers the sprayer along a guidance line at the end of a paddock pass, smoothly guiding the machine into the next section of the paddock.
“This technology allows the sprayer operator to focus on managing the sprayer booms, adjusting their height and position in relation to obstacles in and around the paddock, while also controlling the machine’s speed.
“ATTA also allows the operator to plan the shape of their turns while helping reduce crop damage and reducing negative impact to overall yield.”
ATTA is compatible with John Deere 400 and 600 Series self-propelled sprayers and Hagie STS12, STS16 and STS20 sprayers, from model year 2022. The ATTA function is included with Automation 4.0 on Gen4 displays and the G5 Advanced licence for machines that have a G5 display.
The AutoTrac Vision 2.0 is a system that uses cameras mounted on the roof and front of the machine to identify rows while in operation and steers the tyres down the centre of the rows.
“This feature is suited to contractors who spray row crops that have non-uniform passes or complex paddocks that require the machine to follow the rows instead of AutoTrac lines, thereby significantly minimising crop damage and enhancing yields,” Royce Bell explains.
“The advantage of this innovative system is it enables sprayers to operate at faster spraying speeds while maintaining precise control, allowing for swift operations during tight application windows.”
“As a result, operators can maximise their efficiency by concentrating less on steering and more on the essential tasks at hand.”
For information on the ideal John Deere spray technology that is best for your farm, contact your local John Deere dealer on this link.
