Selective spraying with SaveFarm technology provides several advantages in the management of herbicides, optimization of resources on farms and quality of application of agricultural pesticides. We list the main ones below:

• Product savings, which in pre-planting desiccation operations is around 75% on average, and can reach up to 95% in scenarios with low weed infestation. Knowing that the cost in Brazil of using herbicides in the case of soybeans can exceed R$200.00 per hectare in a single application, the net profit of farms can increase significantly with the use of this technology. For an area of ​​1000 hectares with 10% weed infestation, for example, using the herbicides with active ingredients glyphosate, clethodim and 2,4-D, product savings can exceed R$250,00.00 in a single application, according to research carried out by Eirene Solutions and considering the prices made available by CONAB for the year 2023.
• Diesel savings, with up to a 30% reduction in consumption (considering only applications with herbicides). This savings occurs due to the greater number of hectares that a spray tank can cover using the technology without the need to travel to the supply point. The smaller the weed infestation and the greater the distance to the supply point, the greater the reduction in diesel oil consumption.
• Increased operational income. Operational efficiency refers to the relationship between the total operation time and the time in which the sprayer was not applied (travel to the supply point, maneuvers, stops and supply time). As there is a significant reduction in the time taken to travel the machine to the supply point, as well as the time spent with the supply itself, the operational efficiency using SaveFarm's selective spraying technology becomes much greater, reaching up to 75%. which is well above the average operational performance of a sprayer without the technology, which is around 45 to 50%.
• Better application quality. The spray jets are activated by PWM valves, which allow the application rate to be the same regardless of the spray application speed, through pulsed spraying. In the conventional form of application, anti-drip valves are used, and in this case, in self-propelled sprayers and sprayers with rate controllers, the application rate is maintained by the change in pressure in the spray line, however this causes a change in the angle and in the size of the droplets during application, which does not occur when using the SaveFarm technology, where the pressure is not changed and there is uniformity in the size of the spray droplets.

The figure below shows the difference between the average volumetric diameter (DMV) of drops that a self-propelled vehicle with a normal rate control system provides.

What can be observed is the following: On the water-sensitive card on the left (A), spraying was carried out at 10 km/h with the machine's pressure system working at approximately 400 kPa, forming a DMV of fine drops, while on the paper on the right side (B), a DMV of medium to thick drops can be observed, as the spraying was carried out at approximately 5 km/h at a point where the terrain did not allow greater speeds, causing the system pressure to be reduced to approximately 120 kPa.

 Figure 1: Droplet size in conventional Rate control system. A – Application at 10 km/h (fine drops). B – Application at 5 km/h (medium to thick drops).

Through pulsed spraying, with PWM valves, the above scenario is not repeated, as the pressure is controlled by the valves, ensuring that it always remains in the same working range, according to the DMV needs for each operation.

• Vary the size of drops without having to change the tip. With the SaveFarm system, it is possible to change the size of the drops just by changing the machine's working pressure, which will not change the application rate, thanks to the pulsed spraying provided by the installed PWM valves. This makes operation easier as on many occasions it will not be necessary to change spray tips.
• The speed range increases. Another advantage provided by PWM valves. The same spray tip is capable of being used in a wider range of application speeds, since by acting in a pulsed manner, at low operating speeds, for example, the pressure in the spray line is maintained and the opening time of the spray tips is maintained. PWM valves decrease, maintaining the application rate, which does not occur in a conventional system, where the lower speed limit is higher to maintain the application rate, since the rate control system based on sprayer line pressure does not It's so efficient. See the figure below that exemplifies how the valve works to maintain the same application rate, even at very different speeds.

Figura 2. Exemplo de aplicação das válvulas PWM no intervalo de velocidade de aplicação.

• Menor fitotoxicidad. With SaveFarm there is a reduction in phytotoxicity, since the same application rate is delivered regardless of the operating speed, which does not occur in a conventional rate control system, especially when the operating speed is very low (when making curves, for example), in which the application rate delivered becomes greater than what it was selected to do.

   

  As seen, the use of SaveFarm selective spraying technology provides several benefits for rural producers, not only related to product savings, but also in the optimization of resources and the quality of application of agricultural pesticides.