The effects of the introduction of Sustainable Use Directive will soon be felt by pesticide operators at farm level. As part of this action plan, all boom sprayers greater than 3m in width and orchard/blast sprayers have to be tested and certified by 26 November 2016.

The sprayers must comply with the EN standards for application and safety. Sprayers which do not meet this requirement will have to be repaired or decommissioned from use on the farm. This essentially means that all of the estimated 30,000-40,000 tractor-mounted or trailed sprayers in the country will have to be tested, as well as the small number of self-propelled machines.

The test certificate given to the sprayer will remain with it even if it leaves the farm. It is envisaged that those selling pre-owned sprayers will have the option of testing the machine, which should add to the value to it. Every sprayer will have to be tested once every five years until 2020 and every three years after that year.

The question now facing the farmer is whether the sprayer operating at the moment is capable of passing the test in its current condition. It may be the case that it should go to the repair workshop for some minor repairs. And, if major surgery is required, is it time for a contractor or an investment in a new sprayer?

This decision will ultimately be driven by the workload of the sprayer on the farm, and the value of timely pesticide application to valuable crops. The window for application is small, so whether it is a new or old sprayer, it has to be capable of performing on the day.

The advice for farmers considering buying a new sprayer is to examine the specification required by the Department of Agriculture for a new sprayer to satisfy the test requirements.

A number of suppliers and manufacturers will have their sprayers on display at the FTMTA Machinery Show, or will be available to discuss their lineup. Berthoud, Horsch, and Farm Gem will not have a sprayer present at the FTMTA Machinery Show. Atkins is available for queries and information in relation to Farm Gem on their stand.

Relatively new on the scene in Ireland is the Horsch range of sprayers. Horsch’s BoomControl Pro, a system fitted to its Leeb trailed and self-propelled sprayers won the LAMMA’s top award – best new product or innovation – as well as the best new product or innovation in the mechanical and crop production equipment category. This might be worth enquiring about on the Horsch stand.

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I.A.M. from Kilkenny will have a small 400L Hardi NK mounted sprayer. The larger Hardi Master 1200L mounted sprayer with VHY booms comes with full specification and an option for cab controllers and GPS. The largest Hardi sprayer on display will be the Navigator 3000L Delta sprayer with DynamicFluid 4. This uses four sensors in combination. This, according to Hardi, gives faster regulation with the highest possible accuracy and works with fast regulation software to deal with all the challenges in modern spraying and give very precise control.

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Vicon will have its new iXter 1800L mounted sprayer with 24m booms, featuring the iXclean Pro. This machine received a certificate of merit at LAMMA this year, with fully automatic electric valve management on ISOBUS sprayers.

It means all functions can be controlled from the tractor cab. Switching between filling, agitation, spraying, diluting, priming, rinsing and tank cleaning is controlled by the button, according to Vicon. In addition to auto filling, Vicon claims the iXclean Pro offers a fully automatic multi-step rinsing and cleaning program for the entire sprayer. Pushing one button starts a comprehensive cleaning process that takes just a few minutes and uses minimal amounts of clean water. It is so thorough that residue levels after automated cleaning are below 1%, according to Vicon.

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F Jenkinson Ltd from Carlow will be displaying two Bateman self-propelled sprayers on its stand – the RB 26 with 24m booms, and the larger RB 35 with 30m booms.

Both machines come with John Deere engines at 185hp for the RB 26 and 225hp for the larger RB 35 which deliver maximum speeds of 40km/hr on the RB 26 and 45Km/hr on the RB 35. These sprayers, according to Bateman, have robust features with high comfort levels ensuring a long working life. All design and fabrication of chassis, booms, cabs, and tanks are all carried out in-house at Bateman.

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Farmhand will have on display the Amazone Classic line range of sprayers. According to Farmhand this range offers no frills, with functionality, strong build design and keen prices the key objectives of the lineup. The range is available in mounted and trailed versions from 12m upwards.

There will also be many other makes and models of sprayers on display through the halls of the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show. To suit almost every budget and workload – again just look out that the sprayer you buy will last the test of time in the Department of Agriculture’s eyes.