THE popular Miller Nitro, front-mounted self-propelled sprayers will become a little more popular following the addition of an optional Pommier aluminium boom to suit larger operators.
Miller's Australian distributor, McIntosh Distribution, is excited to add the Pommier option to the boom range available with the manufacturer's latest Nitro 6000 Series sprayers to help satisfy demand from larger growers and contractors.
The Pommier 48.5-metre B3 Mega aluminium boom is used with a specific Miller centre frame and features a standard hydraulic anti-yaw.
"We are pleased to offer the Pommier option with all new Miller 6000 series Nitro sprayers,'' said Jon Bent, McIntosh Distribution.
"In addition to the other Miller factory options of the proven mono boom, steel truss booms to 41.15 metres and the Miller Spray-Air boom, the Pommier boom means we can support all farmers' requirements."
The Pommier B3 Mega boom is well proven in field performance and reliability.
The aluminium boom offers significant longevity and maintenance benefits in terms of corrosion resistance, with surface oxidisation protecting the aluminium.
Mr Bent said limited stocks of the Pommier option would be available for delivery from May for orders placed now.
Meanwhile, new and existing owners of the Miller Spray-Air booms are looking forward to further gains in crop spraying efficacy and productivity in the coming season after updates from McIntosh Distribution following the technology's early use in Australia.
The company has been meeting with Miller dealer and service staff who are keen to improve their support to customers and update operators on the best operation of the technology.
Available with the Miller Nitro sprayers, the Spray-Air booms have been used for a range of applications in a wide variety of crops, including cereals, canola, pulses, corn, cotton and sorghum.
The Spray-Air system allows for more targeted chemical applications through air-assist and air-atomisation technology, forming one powerful spray nozzle system.
Growers have fingertip control of the droplet size and speed of the air delivery for any spraying application.
Mr Bent said experience with the Miller Spray-Air system in its first 12 months in Australia, combined with data collected from owners, provided a clear understanding of the optimum operation of the technology.
He said the key message was that lower water volumes with Spray-Air were providing the best spraying results.
"For best coverage and application results - whether on small ryegrass or larger broadleaf weeds, for example - lower water volumes are giving the best control,'' he said.
"The optimum water carrier range is 20-60 litres per hectare, depending on spraying speed.
"If we get the coverage, the lower water rate will achieve a better result.
"Most chemicals work better when in a stronger concentration - in fact, many labels also indicate this.
"We have customers spraying glyphosate with 30 litres per hectare of water and they are getting burn-down in three days.
"By reducing the water carrier volume, growers are spending more time in the paddock and less time filling, so they are achieving good operational efficiencies.''
The Miller Spray-Air system can consistently atomise spray droplets in a range from 200-500 millimetres per minute per nozzle - spaced 25 centimetres apart.
"If we stay within the optimum range of the nozzle, Spray-Air delivers the best coverage of any system on the market,'' he said.
p More information: contact the your Miller dealer or visit www.mcintoshdistribution.com.au or www.millersprayers.com.au
