Red LEDs outperform blue LEDs in selective spraying technology

According to Dutch selective spraying technology specialist Rometron the blue LEDs for its WEED-IT Quadro system were very limited available due to the corona pandemic and global supply problems of all kinds of components as a result. Reason for Rometron to start experimenting with other colours of LED lights for their WEED-IT selective spraying technology.

Tests with red and blue LEDs in selective spraying

Since mid-2021, WEED-IT engineers, distributors and customers have been doing extensive comparative testing on the operability and performance of various types of LEDs including blue and red coloured ones. Rometron says these tests show that red LEDs have currently overcome their blue counterparts. Due to these good results, Rometron has decided to use red LEDs in its WEED-IT Quadro technology from November 2022 onwards. The changeover to Quadro Red sensors will consequently occur from then, depending on the regions where WEED-IT is marketed.

“Through responding to market needs and conditions, we are able to introduce the next evolution of our spot and precision spraying system in the world to enable our customers to eliminate more weeds with less effort and as sustainable and durable as possible. WEED-IT Quadro will remain WEED-IT Quadro with the same reliability, performance and ease of use for weed elimination on plant level”, says the company’s founder and sole owner Roel de Jonge.

Increased demand for selective spraying

Rometron says the COVID pandemic led to supply chain disruptions resulting in skyrocketing prices for farm machinery, crop protection agents and energy. “This situation that has also led to increased attention and demand for spot praying in general and green-on-brown selective spraying in particular.”

By implementing green-on-brown spot spraying along with the right weed management strategy, farmers can prevent weeds from growing and emerging rather than combatting them afterwards when the crop is already growing, says the company. Green-on-brown selective spraying helps save farmers up to 90% on their chemical costs, Rometron claims.

While the earmark colour of WEED-IT will evolve from blue to red LED technology, each and every other element of the system will remain unchanged.

Also read: WEED-IT: Full coverage spraying and stepless nozzle control