High input prices encourage savings in the application of pesticides

Inflation arrived in the countryside. Not only are commodity prices on the rise, but also the costs of inputs, which already weigh heavily on the producer's pocket, especially agricultural pesticides. According to data from the National Agriculture Confederation (CNA), Glyphosate alone, for example, increased by 127% in the first nine months of this year. The price increase has reduced the producer's profit margins and the order now in agriculture is to save.

Applying a product assertively, that is, only in areas that really need it, seemed like a complicated task. However, new technologies, such as Trimble's WeedSeeker 2, have helped producers save up to 95% on pesticide application volume.

The WeedSeeker 2 is a selective application system that uses advanced optics and processing power to detect and eliminate weeds. Data from Trimble shows that the tool is the only one on the market with Green on Green application technology, that is, in addition to applying desiccation, it also eliminates weeds with the crop already emerged.

“Being able to save up to 95% has a positive impact on business profitability, bringing more time and cost savings, in addition to increasing productivity rates”, says Fernando Compagnon, product specialist at Trimble.

He explains that when the sensor passes over the plant and detects it through reflected light, it sends a signal to the respective application nozzle, ensuring application only on the target (weed plant), promoting a reduction in the use of herbicides.

According to the Trimble specialist, the technology can be used regardless of the light, including at night. The WeedSeeker 2 has sensors that allow reading NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and enable the differentiation of the plants' vegetative index, thus determining where the product will be applied.