April 2021 - 23

electronics temperatures to other vital
statistics delivered by the autonomy
sensors, which will deliver alerts when
necessary.
" Let's say the flow rate dropped off
because that sprayer's filter or nozzles
got plugged. The machine will send
an alert to the computer, the icon will
flash and create a noise, and when
the icon is clicked, it will highlight
yellow or red where the problem is, "
Thompson said.
Aside from low-key monitoring,
keeping an efficient spray is a matter
of making refills happen in the field.
With orchard spraying requiring about
100-200 gallons of water per acre for
application, a GUSS machine has a
range of 30-45 minutes before the load
is sprayed out and needs refilling.
" So much of it is about keeping those
sprayers filled up, " said Thompson.
GUSS automatically stops once the
tanks are empty, and a nurse truck
operation would then drive the next
tank load out to the sprayer to refill it.
" Then just hit 'resume' on the sprayer,
and it just keeps spraying. "
GUSS's current leading crops are
almonds, pistachios and other tree
nuts, with the machine's popularity
growing in Florida citrus groves. Aside
from tree nuts and citrus, the current
GUSS model is designed to work well
in trees, such as in stone fruit, apples,
cherries, olives and other permanent
crops. There has also been talks about
its use in hops.
For growers of grapes, high density
orchards and other hedge-like
crops, Mini GUSS is currently in
prototype phase and is being designed
specifically for those narrower row
spacings. After Mini GUSS, the next
goal for the company is to move from
foliar sprays to ground sprays, which
opens up the machine's utility for use
with herbicides.
ZERO
ZIP
ZILCH
ZIPPO
NIL
NADA
GOOSE EGG
BUPKIS
Up to eight sprayers can be monitored
simultaneously in GUSS's monitoring app.
But aside from being used for
efficiency in applying liquid products
to the canopy, GUSS is also being
viewed as a tool for applicator safety.
" GUSS is a way for growers to
continue applying products that are
being threatened to have taken away
from them due to concerns from
applicator exposure, " said Thompson.
" There are products that are getting
harder and harder to apply because
growers have to take additional tests
and get special permits. "
And while growers may find an
effective product at an economical
price, they'll decide against using it
since they can't send crews to take
these tests. Instead of sending four field
Exactly the number of documented cases of resistance in apples.
An important part of any apple disease management program is
the inclusion of Manzate®
Pro-Stick™ or Penncozeb®
75DF Fungicides.
As a market leader, not only do they provide dependable scab
control, you don't have to worry about disease resistance after
continued use. In fact, they should be the foundation of any
fungicide program to help manage resistance of other fungicides.
After decades of use, there have been zero documented cases of
resistance. That's not something all fungicide brands can claim.
Talk to your UPL representative to learn more, or visit
manzateprostick.com.
Always read and follow label directions. MANZATE,
PRO-STICK, PENNCOZEB, UPL, the UPL logo and OpenAg are
trademarks of a UPL Corporation Limited Group Company.
©2021 UPL Corporation Limited Group Company. SPC-2003F
crew members to take required tests, a
grower can send one person - the one
supervising the GUSS sprayers - and
run four automated sprayers.
This also provides an advantage
with the chemicals that require an
enclosed tractor cab for application.
Since there's no driver onboard GUSS,
application is easier and not dependent
on this safety precaution.
" There could be products labeled
that the only way you're allowed to
spray them is by an autonomous
vehicle, " said Thompson. " By no means
has that been put on any labels at this
point, but we see that as a potential in
the future. "
GUSS is diesel powered and has an
outright purchase price of $285,000. FGN
Aerial view of GUSS machine spraying a citrus grove.
SPC-2003F Manzate Pro Stick Apples 7.2x10.25.indd 1
FGN | APRIL 2021 | 23
2/1/21 3:12 PM
http://www.manzateprostick.com
April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2021
