Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW MARCH/APRIL 2021 23 APPLICATION REVIEW G ROWER David Adams, who grows 180ha of potatoes each year near Bridgnorth in Shropshire, has been trialling a new applicator on 350ha of planted potatoes over the past two years and is now recommending it for use with a liquid nematicide that has received an application upgrade. e new applicator has been speci cally designed to apply both Velum Prime( uopyram), used for controlling free- living nematodes, and soil treatments such as Amistar (azoxystrobin) simultaneously. David, of JB Adams and Partners limited, said: “Prior to 2019 we applied soil treatments using an older powder applicator, but by 2019 it had come to the end of its working life. At the same time we had also made a decision to invest in a new applicator, equipped with two independent chemical tanks and capable of applying di erent products simultaneously to protect the ridges, reduce passes and lower our fuel costs. “Having previously purchased both their Maxi-cast and Outcast V2 applicators, we knew the manufacturer Techneat Engineering and, after discussion with Managing Director Tom Neat, we opted to begin working with a new applicator which we rear-mounted on our two-row Miedema Structural 2000 planter. “Set-up was straightforward with the applicator’s 220L water tank centrally positioned at the rear of the planter and all the pipework going forwards.” e applicator is equipped with two 10L chemical tanks and two dosatron chemical injection pumps that mix the chemicals with water and pump it directly into the spray line where it’s applied into the soil via four main outlets. Nozzles are mounted at the opener of the planter. Early adopter David Adams con rms successful results after extensive two-year trial. Simultaneous application “Although we initially set up the machine with one nozzle at the front and one nozzle at the back, we nally settled on positioning both nozzles at the back of the opener. is was to ensure that both nozzles were better able to apply product into the soil as the soil is pulled back around the seed potatoes during the planting process,” said David. “One of the key bene ts on the Velum Prime applicator is that it uses the same Garmin GPS electronic rate controller as other Techneat machines, cab-mounted and designed for easy output monitoring. ere have been no maintenance issues to date and, providing you clean out both the tank and spray lines following use, there is very little else to go wrong. After 350ha of planting, David said he found the applicator delivered both Velum Prime and Amistar into the soil accurately and, if required, simultaneously – without drift or reduction in nozzle pressure. He also praised its anti-blockage properties. The Velum Prime Applicator has a 220L water tank with two 10L chemical tanks mounted either side. Optimised nozzle sizes from Hypro David Adams has spent two years trialling the dual application method.