Author: Micron

Micron Group, a leading producer of hand-held and vehicle-mounted sprayers and aerial atomisers, has recently appointed a further four new sales, technical and accountancy staff to support its expansion plans in the UK and Europe.

Toby Whatley, a university graduate with a BSc in agricultural engineering from Harper Adams, joined the company as a Technical Sales Specialist in April 2012. As well as his up-to-date knowledge of the agricultural market and its needs, Toby brings practical understanding of product design and development, aftersales service and technical support. Toby will assist our R&D, Sales and Marketing departments in delivering customers innovative and value-adding products and providing them with technical and sales support.

As part of Micron Group’s strategy to offer market-leading innovative products, the company created two additional R&D positions which have recently been filled by Michael Mills and Martin Botfield. Michael took up the role of a Design Engineer and is responsible for product design, fabrication, technical drawings and documentation. His extensive experience in mechanical design, structural engineering and machining will prove invaluable in his new role.

Martin Botfield was appointed as a Technical Writer/Design Engineer with responsibility for CAD product design, technical illustrations and authoring. Martin is experienced in various aspects of mechanical design and technical documentation to further enhance the varied skill set of Micron’s R&D department.

Last but not least, Charlotte Pash joined the Micron team in April as an Accounts Assistant. Charlotte has an up-to-date MIAB qualification and her role will be to provide assistance in preparing monthly management accounts.

The appointments follow Micron’s recent reorganisation in 2011 in order to enhance the company’s offering and services, during which Graham Thompson, Ausra Landey and Naomi Terry were also employed in the newly created roles of European Sales Manager, Group Marketing Manager and Group Management Accountant respectively.
 

Image: Micron’s New staff (left to right): Michael Mills, Charlotte Pash, Toby Whatley and Martin Botfield. 

From cradle to… long life!

We followed our products from concept and development through to production and quality testing, packed them with care and shipped them to you. But for us, the process doesn’t end here. We’d love to know whether our products are serving you well and that you’re getting value for money. This is why we’re organising a Photo Competition of Micron equipment in use.

Share your experience and win a Canon IXUS

Enter our photo competition to share your user experience with us and you could be the winner of the stylish Canon IXUS 117 HS Digital Camera featuring:

• 28mm Wideangle Zoom with Optical Image Stabiliser
• High Sensitivity 12.1 Megapixel Sensor
• 3.0” LCD Screen
• Full HD Movies with Dynamic Image Stabilisation
• 32-Scene Smart Auto
• High Speed Burst and Super Slow Motion Movie

To enter, simply email your photo(s) showing our products in use to [email protected] by 31st May 2012 with the subject line “Photo Competition” – it’s that simple! (Be sure to read the Terms of Conditions below.) And, to maximise your chances of winning, you can send as many images as you like which will be classed as separate entries.

Picture perfect

To qualify as a competition entry, the image(s) should picture Micron equipment in real life application and should be at least 300KB in size. We’d like to leave the rest up to you to really get your creative juices flowing:

• The photo(s) could be taken in a field, on a road side, plantations, golf course or in the air – in fact, anywhere where you have used our products
• Any current model of our hand-held sprayer, weed wiper or applicator or any vehicle or aircraft mounted equipment could be featured in the photograph

Terms & Conditions

1. To enter the competition for a chance to win a Canon IXUS 117 HS Digital Camera, photo(s) should be emailed to [email protected] by 31st May 2012.
2. The winning entry will be decided upon by Micron Group and notified by 18th June 2012.
3. The winning image will be awarded a Canon IXUS 117 HS Digital Camera (Black).
4. The prize cannot be interchanged for another item or money.
5. Upon entering the competition, the entrant is consenting for the image to be used by Micron in its publicity and marketing materials and to be shared with third parties.
6. Images must feature Micron equipment in use and be at least 300KB in size.
7. Multiple images can be submitted by one person and will be classed as separate entries. 

Eliminating weeds in the crop and weed seed free crop yield are not the only priorities in contemporary arable farming. Farmers are increasingly mindful of obligations to establish and maintain biodiversity along field margins safeguarding them from contamination from herbicides used to treat the crop.

These eco-rich areas typically extend from the crop margin to the field boundary. The latter may be a hedgerow and/or a water course or a grassy bank to encourage and maintain populations of beetles and other useful arthropods.

However, there is a clear farming requirement for establishment and maintenance of a barrier against wild plant encroachment into the crop where ecologically valued species become weeds (a plant growing in the wrong place at the wrong time). In many instances, there is a pressing need to eliminate the opportunity for black grass to re-establish in the cultivated area. By the same token the eco-rich field margin must be delineated and protected against any ingress of herbicide by direct overspray or spray drift from applications to the crop.

The most efficient and cost-effective way of achieving this delineation is through maintaining a completely weed free strip using a non-selective (total) herbicide such as glyphosate. However, there is then absolutely no margin for application error where the crop meets the strip or where the strip interfaces with the field margin.

Ultra-accurate application can be achieved with the Enviromist range of shielded CDA sprayers from Micron Group which satisfies the high degree of accuracy and safety demanded when spraying herbicides in such environmentally sensitive situations. The Enviromist range of sprayers is ideal for crop margin spraying and other applications such as spraying along pathways and fence lines where the same degree of accuracy in targeting and placement is required.

Reduced environmental impact

The Enviromist range of sprayers includes the Spraydome, the Spraymiser and the Undavina, all of which use proven Micron CDA (Controlled Droplet Application) spray technology featuring spinning disc rotary atomisers to produce optimum sized droplets within a narrow size range for maximum spray efficiency. All Enviromist sprayers incorporate a shielded design which virtually eliminates the risk of spray drift whilst benefitting from the spraying accuracy and low volumes achieved by the use of CDA atomisers. This system offers significant increases in spray efficiency and crop and environmental protection and safety which include:

• Excellent targeting of spray droplets and accuracy of spray placement
• Optimum coverage of weed plant surfaces using significantly lower application volumes compared with traditional hydraulic pressure nozzle spraying
• Enhanced spray retention, with discrete spray droplets on weed leaf surfaces drying more quickly to protect against wash off and to allow more rapid entry of herbicide into the plant, and, with systemic products such as glyphosate, translocation to all parts of the weed for faster total kill. 
• Economical spray volumes of down to 20 l/ha which allow users to reduce both water and chemical volume, as well as the overall time taken to spray. 
• With virtually no drift onto non-target areas or run off into the soil, all-round environmental protection is ensured with minimum wastage.
   

Spraying along the crop margin and footpaths

When it comes to crop margin spraying, the Spraydome is a perfect choice for achieving a delineated weed free strip along the margin. It has also been proven to be an effective tool for the demarcation of public footpaths across cultivated areas.

Incorporating CDA technology to optimise spray efficiency and a plastic shield to contain the spray, Spraydome is ideal for herbicide application in situations where it is critical to avoid contamination of soil in the adjacent areas, especially in crop margin treatment with an economically valuable crop on one side and ecologically valuable wildlife on the other.

The Spraydome uses up to 90 per cent less water compared to traditional hydraulic pressure nozzle sprayers and features the Enviromist control system to monitor the flow at each individual spray head. The system includes a light indicator to monitor the operation and working of the CDA atomiser.

Any trees encountered are catered for by Spraydome’s ‘breakaway’ system that gently rolls around the tender stems of young plantings to protect their soft and still green bark from mechanical abrasion and herbicide damage.

The sprayer can be ATV or tractor mounted to suit users’ requirements. With units from 40cm to 120cm in diameter within the range, the Spraydome is capable of spraying varying widths.

Along fence lines and pathways

The sprayer of choice for herbicide application along fence lines is the Undavina which can be mounted on most ATVs and tractors. Undavina’s freely rotating and shielded spray heads ensure precision application and minimal drift because the spray droplets are confined and contained under the soft vinyl spray hood.

The Undavina provides efficient application of spray liquid right up to fence lines. This excellent reach is awarded by the Enviromist ‘breakaway’ system which allows the spray head to swivel around fence posts and apply herbicide right up to the post. Like Spraydome, the Undavina also features the Enviromist flow control system including an indicator light to monitor the correct functioning of the spray head.

Undavina comes in a range of dome diameters – 30cm, 45cm, 60cm and 90cm – to cater for all required applications.

Whist Undavina is ideal for spraying along fence lines, the Spraymiser has been specifically designed for pathway spraying. A lightweight sprayer with universal fittings, the Spraymiser can be easily attached to the rear of an ATV, tractor 3 point linkage or any suitable vehicle with a 12 volt DC supply of at least 3 amps. A wide range of models (nominal working widths of 60, 120, 140, 160, 180 and 200cm) is available to cater for almost all pathway weed control requirements.

Spraymiser provides outstanding weed control at low volumes using its revolutionary vertically mounted CDA spray heads that allow for a low profile shield to fit around them to virtually eliminate spray drift. Optimum performance is ensured by Enviromist’s flow control system, allowing use of spray volumes down to 20 l/ha.

The Spraymiser can be used in conjunction with the circular Undavina or Spraydome units to achieve wider spray widths where required and to simultaneously treat pathways and fence lines, making the Enviromist range a versatile and cost-effective choice. 

Micro-system, Micron Group’s Polish distributor, has won a Gold medal at Polagra-Premiery agricultural exhibition in Poland with its innovative sprayer T430Osza. The judges were impressed with the sprayer’s modern design and effectiveness.

A result of close collaboration with Lukomet, specialists in greenhouse equipment production, the Micro-system T430Osza sprayer has been specifically designed for fungicide and insecticide spraying in greenhouses. Its robust construction holds a Honda LPG engine to power the sprayer, a 70 litre tank and modern electronic steering. The sprayer uses Micron’s proven Electrafan heads which provide considerable cost-savings over conventional nozzle sprayers. Incorporating CDA (Controlled Droplet Application) technology, each Electrafan head features a rotary atomiser and a fan which helps to carry the spray droplets to the target, producing a spraying pattern of evenly-sized droplets. Each atomiser has an independent feeding system for consistent output, regardless of the spraying speed. The Electrafan heads are mounted on an expandable mast which allows users to easily change the position and the height of individual atomisers.

It is paramount to maintain stable climate conditions in the greenhouse, and the T430Osza keeps the variation in humidity levels to a minimum thanks to the sprayer’s low liquid consumption. The Electrafan spray heads use a fraction of water that would be required by a conventional sprayer – just 60 to 120 l/ha compared to a more typical 1200 l/ha. Chemical usage can also be reduced by up to 70% whist still providing excellent crop coverage.

The T430Osza runs on standard rail tracks which are fitted in most greenhouses. The sprayer treats one side of the row going up, and the other side on the way back. Users can program up to four lane lengths and adjust the spraying speed which can be set between 1 to 60 m/s.

The unit boasts a compact and lightweight design and is fitted with rubber wheels to reduce damage to the rails. 

 

Grapes as dessert fruit or for fermenting wine are grown throughout Europe in a broad range of climate, weather, topography and soils. The grapevine thrives in diverse situations including rich cool slopes of the Rhine Valley in Germany, the dry soil of Sicily and the mild maritime climate of southern England and most of Eastern Europe.

Grapevines are susceptible to a wide range of arthropod pests and fungal diseases. The exact pest profile and yield threat will depend on prevailing environmental conditions in the country or region, but weeds present the most uniformly common threat to yield because wherever grapevines grow weeds are not far behind and usually in front.

Weed damage and control
There are many facets to weed cover and damage caused in vineyards and grapevines, and likewise by the application methods and herbicides used to manage them. Weeds damage grapevines and negatively impact on yield and quality by:
 

• competing with the vines for water and nutrients
• providing alternative host plants and infestation/infection points for arthropod pests and diseases
• aggravating pest infestation and pathogen infection by encouraging high humidity under and within the vine canopy
• shading low fruit bunches and inhibiting development

Weed control considerations that must be taken into account include:

1. Use of control methods and pesticide application techniques able to cope with the inherent nature of successful weed species. A successful weed is invariably more versatile than the crop, and especially so at the start of the growing season when weeds have a clear head start over vine growth and re-foliation.
2. Risk of soil and root damage is high at start of the season when the ground is still wet from winter rainfall. Soils may be so saturated that growers are unable to get their conventional high volume sprayers into the vineyard. Weeds receive an even bigger head-start, making control that more difficult once soil conditions improve enough for spraying to take place.
3. The most successful weed species flower and set seed during the whole year (ephemerals) and have short seed maturation periods and minimal germination requirements. The net result is huge and constantly threatening seed banks with weed seedlings germinating, establishing and growing for most of the year. Growers are forced to make repeat sprays later in the year when vine growth and fruit bunch development is advanced. Room to manoeuvre spray machinery in the correspondingly reduced space demands smaller and more discrete sprayers.
4. Conventional hydraulic sprayers require large volumes of spray mixture. Vineyard owners are hampered and held back when soil is too wet to support heavyweight high volume sprayers carrying large volumes of spray mixture, and requiring correspondingly more powerful and heavy vehicles to move them along the rows of vines. There is also a higher risk of soil compaction and damage down into the root zone and aerial damage to vines when using larger and heavier units.
5. The number of days suitable for herbicide spraying is reduced by wind with the accompanying risk of spray drift and chemical damage to the vines. Using traditional sprayers in windy conditions not only puts the crops at risk – foliage, fruit and even the vine itself – but also areas much further afield, beyond the vineyard and into the environment at large.
6. Use of pesticides is under increasingly tight scrutiny and nowhere more so than in the European Union (EU). Close monitoring of pesticide residues and contamination in harvested grapes, wine and the environment, especially water resources, is carried out across the EU. The choice of pesticide application technique is critical in protecting the commercial future of many currently used actives which are crucial enable continued economic pest, disease and weed control in viticulture. Spray application techniques which minimise chemical usage while eliminating spray drift offer a clear way forward.

Controlled Droplet Application (CDA) techniques using rotary atomisers to generate and apply herbicides in uniformly-sized droplets go a long way to satisfy requirements for efficient and drift-minimising application techniques. CDA technology ensures that the droplets are accurately targeted onto weed plant targets with minimum spray drift. Spray volume and amount of spray mixture carried is reduced as is the weight of sprayer and size of vehicle required to support and move it. When the rotary atomisers are shielded by fitting domes, spray drift is all but eliminated, with contact and coverage ensured even when using minimal spray volume and doses.

Micron Group is the leading designer and manufacturer of CDA sprayers that offer vineyard growers all the above mentioned benefits. Its Enviromist range of CDA sprayers was first used to control weeds in the vineyards of South Australia and has since been adopted by vineyards across Europe and in the Americas.

Traditional hydraulic sprayers are hampered by having to haul large volumes of spray mixture up and down the rows between closely spaced vines. Enviromist CDA sprayers overcome these problems by offering a range of benefits including:

• formation, generation and delivery of optimally sized spray droplets within a narrow size spectrum
• the rotary atomisers are covered by plastic shields to minimise loss of spray droplets to the atmosphere thereby essentially eliminating spray drift
• significantly reduced spray volumes (10-40 litres per hectare), compared with traditional high volume sprayers, allows use of small lightweight spray tanks for mounting on ATVs and small tractors.

Enviromist CDA equipment is available in Undavina, Spraymiser and Spraydome ranges specifically designed for vineyard applications.

Undavina offers a highly effective way of controlling weeds growing around the base of vines. Available in a range of sizes, it features freely rotating shielded heads which ensure precision application and eliminate drift. Furthermore, the shield efficiently contains the spray under the hood thus safeguarding the valuable vines from spray contact. Undavina can handle more rugged terrain and can even be used over small rocks and irrigation sprinklers. Plants are further protected by the innovative Enviromist breakaway system which gently deflects and rolls around plants reducing mechanical damage and allowing to spray right up to the vine.

The Spraymiser units are designed for centre-row weed control, and are light enough for mounting on an ATV as well as a tractor. The range incorporates vertical plane CDA technology and a re-circulating system to deliver low application rates and increased chemical efficiency. Spraymiser’s shielded design eliminates spray drift which means the machines can be used even in windy conditions.

The Spraydome range has been specifically created for treating weeds around tender stems in young plantings. The CDA atomisers are fully covered by a dome-shaped plastic shield which fully eliminates the risk of spray drifting onto the plants and the surrounding environment. Spraydome is also fitted with the proven breakaway system to provide a gentle, rolling effect round the young vines.

Enviromist CDA equipment allows growers to ‘get out’ and make crucially important early season sprays, even in very wet springs, and therefore deprive weeds of an extra head start. The ability to greatly reduce volumes to 10-40 l/ha compared with the 100-400 l/ha or more typically used by conventional hydraulic high volume sprayers, means less down time and quicker turn-around times. CDA technology also means ‘controlled dosage application’ with opportunities to minimise chemical usage. Moreover, Enviromist’s ‘roll around’ design avoids the growth checks on vines through plant damage or soil compaction caused by heavier, more intrusive and less accurate sprayers.

Testing time for different systems
Weed control techniques used in vineyards are under the spotlight for cost effectiveness and need to comply with tightening environmental and safety legislation. Only way to distinguish between the wide variety of herbicide application options, and non-chemical methods, is through field trials under commercial conditions. Italian scientists at Turin University have recently conducted such trials.

Work was carried out by the Mechanics Section in the Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Economics and Engineering at the University of Turin, to compare innovative application technologies for under-vine weed control. Trials took place at ‘Terruta Cannona’, a wine-grape experimental station in Carpeneto AL (Piedmont Region, Northern Italy), inside a Cortese grape variety vineyard of 1 hectare using ‘Guyot’ growing system with vines in a 2.8 m (between rows) planting arrangement. Herbicide used was glyphosate applied twice per year, once at the beginning of May and again in mid October. Weed cover was assessed before and after treatments (30 days). Most frequently found weed species were the broad-leaved Stellaria media, Veronica arvensis, Veronica persica, Setaria viridis, Convolvulus arvensis and Chenpodium album and the grasses Lolium multiflorum, Alopecurus myosuroides and Bromus mollis.

Six application techniques were compared with each other and the zero treatment control.

1. Traditional hydraulic boom sprayer mounted on the front of a tractor. Boom width was adjusted according to inter-row width with Teejet 6502 slot nozzle at each end to apply herbicide mixture on the ground beneath the vines on each side of the sprayer.
2. Traditional hydraulic sprayer as above but fitted with an electronic system to control application of herbicide according to weed cover, as detected and determined by optical sensors at each nozzle.
3. Traditional hydraulic boom sprayer covered to reduce spray drift using a boom equipped with Teejet TXB02 nozzles.
4. Environmist CDA is carried along the rows on a four-wheel drive quad bike. Mounted on front of the quad bike, a steel frame supports two adjustable arms (one on each side). Each is equipped with a rotary atomiser completely shielded by a plastic bell-shaped dome. The inter-row area is sprayed by three shrouded rotary atomisers fixed to a second 1.5 m steel frame mounted at the back of the quad bike which is also equipped with automatic cruise control allowing the operator to set and maintain desired speed for the entire spray application.
5. Tractor mounted machine combining mechanical and chemical weeding. It features a disc with eight rotary hoes and a dedicated ‘sprinkling system’ applying spray mixture through a Teejet OC 03 nozzle.
6. Trolley-towed flame weeder included for appraisal as an option for organic (zero pesticide) wine growers.

Results were compared and conclusions drawn on a wide range of commercial considerations, including spray volume and chemical dosage used and cost effectiveness.

The Enviromist CDA sprayer applied the least spray volume at just 4 l/ha, an impressive 18 times less than the next lowest which was the hydraulic sprayer fitted with optical sensors. Herbicide dose applied by the Enviromist CDA sprayer was correspondingly lower than all other treatments at just 0.7 litres of product/ha compared with the 2.5 litres used by the hydraulic sprayer with optical sensors. The Enviromist CDA sprayer recorded the highest (best) ratio of weed control to herbicide dose. Weeding efficiency indexes were calculated at 100, 60, 41, 17 and 16 for, respectively, Enviromist CDA, hydraulic boom optical sensor, mechanical/sprinkler system, hydraulic boom, covered hydraulic boom.

The report states that the cost benefit of the Enviromist CDA sprayer with reduced spray volume and minimal chemical dosage (giving an exceptionally high weed control efficiency index), were particularly attractive where several applications are traditionally required during the season, especially in larger vineyards.

Commercial results

Micron Group’s French branch also carried out comparative trials at the La Loge Saint Leger vineyard (Guitres 33, France) from 2006-2008 using a quad-mounted Undavina 600 model. Calculations comparing Enviromist CDA equipment and the previously used herbicide application technique (traditional hydraulic spray equipment using high volumes) revealed considerable savings in contact and systemic herbicides used to control weed growth within and between rows of vines.

Savings of over 30% in the amount of a systemically acting herbicide (glyphosate and aminotriazole) through Enviromist CDA equipment was demonstrated compared with recommended dose rates with high volumes techniques. Lower but still substantial reductions were achieved with a contact herbicide (glufosinate-ammonium) using Enviromist CDA equipment.

Additional benefits and savings were also obtained, although these are less quantifiable in terms of cost. Most notable were the massive reductions in water usage and better application timing with execution of application not being dependent on prevailing wind direction and speed and, additionally, benefit to vines and soil through using light-weight and less intrusive herbicide application equipment.

Bromyard Under 12’s football squad would like to thank local firm Micron Sprayers Limited for contributing to their new kit for this coming season. 

Brian Hall and Wendy Graham who run the squad say “these are difficult times for any business and to have a local company like Micron support us is very encouraging. We are very proud of what we are doing which is giving children of all abilities the chance to play the game they love. This is a very special group of children and we would like to wish them all the best of luck for the coming season”.

Micron Sprayers Ltd is a Bromyard based manufacturer of agricultural spraying equipment and has been providing local jobs since the 1970’s. Commenting of the donation, Gill Ree of Micron Sprayers said: “At Micron, we understand the importance of investing into our future generation. We are really pleased to have the opportunity to support our local children’s club and contribute to their success.”

Mr Nick Stott of Croxdale, County Durham is celebrating his success after winning a handy Handydome Spray Kit from Micron Group. Mr Stott won the Handydome hand-held sprayer and a Personal Protective Equipment Pack including a face shield, mask overalls and nitrile gloves after entering a free prize draw on the Micron Group stand at this year’s Cereals exhibition.

Manufactured by the pioneers of CDA technology, Handydome is a highly versatile hand-held sprayer suitable for use in a wide range of weed control situations. Handydome’s design incorporates a rotary spinning disc atomiser and a freely-rotating, flexible shroud design to deliver excellent performance and operational efficiencies. Combined, these features offer a smooth and targeted weed control operation, as well as significant labour cost savings and reduction in application volumes.

Speaking of his prize which was presented to him by Graham Thompson, European Sales Manager at Micron, Mr Stott said: “I am thoroughly delighted with winning the Handydome and plan to use it to control unwanted weeds in the conservation area and round trees on the farm. I will also be able to retire my old Micron Herbi which has given me good service for many years.”

By Dr Terry Mabbett

Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) is obtaining good results with its recently acquired Micron WeedWipers according to Jon Wohlgemuth, a CCW Reserves Manager who is based in Abergavenny. John took delivery of a 2m WeedWiper unit in October 2010 and followed up soon after with the purchase of a 6m unit for use on other National Nature Reserves (NNR) in the region.

The WeedWipers are mainly being used to manage excess growth and spread of soft rushes (Juncus effusus) in valuable wet grassland habitats. Jon Wohlgemuth told Micron Sprayers how the 2m unit is achieving excellent results on the hillier sites while the 6m unit is proving ideal for soft rush management across the wider and flatter areas of damp grassland characteristic of Newport Wetlands in the Gwent Levels.

Ecological value of these wetlands is two-fold. In spring and summer, they are critically important for ground nesting birds like the Lapwing, once common and widespread but now increasingly rare. Secondly they are winter feeding grounds for large flocks of wild waterfowl including teal, shell duck and widgeon.

Jon refers to another even more specialised damp grassland site within the Cwm Cadlan NNR. Cwm Cadlan is a mosaic of wet grassland fields in a small valley to the north west of Merthyr Tydfil. Lime-rich waters cascade through the reserve and sustain the unique marshy grassland habitat, as well as the great variety of specialised plants and animals that live there. The reserve is part of the Cwm Cadlan Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Known as ‘fen-meadow’ or ‘alkaline fen’, this highly specialised wet grassland habitat supports a wide range of rare wild plants including orchids, sedges, insectivorous plants (like butterwort) and bryophytes (mosses and liverworts).

“The site has European Designation and is therefore internationally protected so we must make sure we safeguard the habitat,” says Jon. “This means we are essentially left with either cutting excess rush growth, which is too repetitive, labour intensive and costly, or using an environmentally friendly herbicide applicator like WeedWiper,” says Jon Wohlgemuth. “By exploiting the height difference between soft rush growth and valued plants below, WeedWiper delivers herbicide by brush contact with no drips or drift thereby allowing us to efficiently manage weeds without compromising this highly sensitive unique environment,” says Jon.

Jon stresses how this is a weed management rather than a weed control situation and operation. “We are not trying to eradicate the soft rushes. Soft rushes are an essential and integral part of the habitat’s fabric but sometimes there is just too much of it. The great advantage of the WeedWiper is its all-round selectivity. We can selectively target the taller soft rush growth and operate it over restricted areas without any fear of drift into adjacent areas,” he says.

Selectivity by application provided by The Micron WeedWiper is the answer for conservationists who are in the business of managing wild plants below weed status rather than trying to eradicate them, as would be the case in most agricultural and industrial weed-control situations.

CCW have also been trialling their WeedWipers for control of bracken at other sites across South & East Wales. They report good control and safety levels, especially when the bracken is high.

Tall weeds present big problems for arable and horticultural crops, pasture and amenity grass swards and wild flowers. They establish themselves at the expense of other plants by reducing and depriving them of light which is necessary for the crops to thrive. As well as their height, tall weeds have the added advantage of easy and effective seed dispersal by wind or birds.

It is impossible to chemically control tall weeds in crops, pasture grassland and conservation areas using standard spray application techniques without risking the integrity and safety of plants below and those in surrounding areas. Target profiles presented by tall weeds require a correspondingly high off the ground spray which is more prone to herbicide drift into surrounding areas. Moreover, drips or splashes from tall weed foliage can contaminate the very plants the operator is trying to protect.

WeedWiper offers a safe and cost-effective solution to the problem. It applies herbicides through direct contact with tall weeds exploiting the height difference between weed targets and the valued plants below. Using this method of application, the actual height of weeds is less important than the height difference and it can be successfully used to control moderately tall weeds in low profile crops just as well as the classic tall weeds in well grown pasture and amenity grassland.

WeedWiper

The Micron WeedWiper delivers non-drip brush contact with weed foliage via herbicide moistened pads. Providing there is a minimum 150mm (6 inch) difference in height between the crop or grass sward and tall weed targets then safe and effective control is assured. WeedWiper’s sensor controlled placement of herbicide on the weed foliage by direct contact eliminates any risk of spray drift and drips.

WeedWiper uses selectivity as an application technique instead of herbicide mode of action to achieve highly targeted weed control thus allowing use of total (non-selective) herbicides which cannot be sprayed over arable crops, pasture grassland and conservation areas. Spray drift risk is eliminated and product application rates can be as little as 5 per cent of those used for boom spraying.

Consistent control of pad wetness is key to safe and successful weed control with WeedWiper. The electronic control system regulates and controls the amount of herbicide transferred to weed plants by switching the pump on and off in response to changes in the amount of herbicide in the pad. The pad is continually saturated for maximum effective transfer of herbicide to weed foliage but never over-saturated to cause dripping, irrespective of travel speed or weed density.

The WeedWiper works off a 12 volt power supply and is compatible with specific units for tractor, quad bike (using the trailer) or trailer-mounted operation depending on situation, choice and requirement. Units have a simple boom end break-back return system and are available in 6, 3 and 2 metre foldable options to enable operation at narrower widths. The 6 metre unit can be used fully open at 6 metres or folded at 2.45 metres (centre only) and 4.22 metres (offset left or right). The 3 metre unit can be folded and used at 1.00 metre (centre only), 2.00 metre (offset left or right) or fully open to 3 metres. Similarly the 2 metre folding unit can be operated at 1.00 metre (centre only), 1.50 metres (offset either left or right) or fully open to 2 metres. The two metre unit can also be supplied in a non-folding version.

Further increasing WeedWiper’s versatility, each model’s pad height can be adjusted to suit different terrains and target weed heights. All units are supplied with pad covers to prevent accidental contamination and to safeguard operator safety.

Produced from a strong and tufted ‘state of the art’ material with premium fluid retention properties, the 150mm (6 inch) deep pads provide a three-dimensional reservoir of active ingredient and offer a large herbicide transfer area to ensure each target weed receives a sufficiently high dose of active ingredient on contact with the pad.

Pad wetness is continuously measured by sensors in the pad material and information relayed to the electronic controller:

• Variable settings on the controller regulate pump output to the pads and only replenish fluid after it has been ‘swiped’ onto the target weed plant
• A scale of settings (0-9) on the controller is used to determine dilution rate of the active ingredient
• Sensors inside the pad material constantly measure pad wetness and the electronic control system replenishes fluid only as required
• The pad cannot receive fluid in excess of that allowed by the electronic control box setting selected by the operator, thus preventing dripping and damage to non-target plants
• Settings can be altered ‘on the move’ if required

All units come with one tank for pre-mixed herbicide solution and another for clean water. The water is used to wet the pads close to saturation point before operational weed swiping and to flush the WeedWiper after operation. Brushing with detergent may also be required to remove any soil and plant wax from the pads.

WeedWiper in crops

WeedWiper can be used to control weeds in sensitive crops providing the required 150 mm (6 inch) height difference exists, irrespective of the actual heights of crop plants and weeds. For instance, it can safely and effectively control fat hen (Chenopodium album) – a serious horticultural weed – when it is still relatively small in crops like chicory because of their low profile.

Volunteer oilseed rape and potato plants also fit the definition of weeds ‘as plants in the wrong place at the wrong time’ and present farmers and growers with some of their most serious weed problems. WeedWiper is widely used to control volunteer oilseed rape in strawberries and potatoes in row crop vegetables.

Additionally, WeedWiper can be used on individual crop plants that have ‘broken-away’ from their ‘normal’ growth pattern and have essentially become tall weeds requiring control. A classic case is sugar beet where WeedWiper is used to safely kill ‘bolters’ in the crop.

WeedWiper in grassland

As well as crops, WeedWiper is suitable for use in a wide range of agricultural and amenity grassland and other sensitive open habitats to control a broad spectrum of weed species and growth.

Ideal for environmentally sensitive situations, WeedWiper has been used in SSSIs and close to waterways to control Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), giant hogweed (Heracleum spondylium) and Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), three alien invasive weeds on the Schedule 9 List of the ‘Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

It can also be used to successfully control five native plant species which are defined and listed under the 1959 Weed Act as ‘Injurious Weeds’. Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) and curled dock (Rumex crispus) pose particular weed problems for agricultural grassland and livestock farmers. Whilst all are best controlled in spring using hand held applicators like the Micron Weedstick and Micron Microwipe when still in the vegetative state as a ‘rosette’ of leaves, WeedWiper is ideal for targeting these weeds during summer when they are approaching maturity and presenting tall stems.

Furthermore, WeedWiper can help to protect lowland heathland which is under constant threat from a wide range of pioneer tree species including birch (Betula sp), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), sallows (Salix sp) and common alder (Alnus glutinosa). As these tree species respond with rapid re-growth (coppice stems) after cutting, WeedWiper is the most cost effective way of dealing with the problem and protecting the heather-based heathland environment.

Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) now occupying 6-7 per cent of UK land area and spreading at 3 per cent in area annually across a wide range of upland and lowland open-habitat environment, including lowland heath, is a prime target for WeedWiper.

In summary, WeedWiper is recommended for use in:

• Pasture and amenity grassland to control a wide range of weeds including ragwort, docks, thistles, stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) and rose bay willow herb (Chamerion angustifolium)
• Uncropped farmland to manage herbaceous weeds like ragwort and woody weed growth including seedling trees and buffer strips around water, cultivated margins and beetle banks
• Moorland, heathland and other rough grazing land for control of bracken, broom (Ulex scoparius) and pioneer tree re-growth
• Marshland and wet meadows to control rushes (Juncus sp) and other moisture loving tall weeds
• Riparian strips and other areas along waterways and watercourses, and around lakes and ponds, to secure environmentally sensitive management of rush and reed growth and alien invasive weeds like Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam.