increase font size
Magrowtec is a set-and-forget hardware system that can be retro-fitted to any sprayer configuration.
The results of the first-ever field study of the MagrowTec system on Kiwi soil have recently been released.
Bharat Bhana – from Hira Bhana & Co. Ltd in Pukekohe, a pioneer of this technology in New Zealand – has achieved some remarkable results. With improved drift control, the commercial grower has seen a 23% increase in coverage, a 35% reduction in water use, as well as improving spraying productivity by a third.
Often droplets delivered by conventional sprayers are either too small or too large. In the case of the former, they float for longer and can evaporate or drift away from the target.
By contrast, droplets that are too large, hit the plant at a higher speed, so are prone to bounce, shatter, and run-off, reducing retention on the leaf and the chemical’s overall performance.
MagrowTec, a set-and-forget hardware system that can be retro-fitted to any sprayer configuration, uses magnetic assistance to create more optimum-sized spray droplets during spraying. It also has sufficient momentum to overcome drift and get down into the plant canopy but is also small enough to stay on the plant surface upon impact.
Hira Bhana & Co. Ltd ran a side-by-side study with a conventional sprayer and noticed a significant reduction in drift and better coverage shown on the water-reactive paper used in the study.
The company was also able to reduce their water usage from 400 litres per hectare to 260 litres per hectare.
“We are getting less drift, which means there’s more spray going down onto the plant, where it should be,” explains Bharat Bhana, owner of Hira Bhana.
“We also achieved a lower water rate, meaning at the end of the day, we’ve got a lot more work done. It would normally take some two days to spray 200 hectares of onions, which we’ve now cut to a day and a half.
“We’ve also saved some fuel and spray chemical, we’ve got less drift and saved some water, so that must be good for the environment.”
The system is distributed by Vantage New Zealand, and director Jemma Mulvihill says they are thrilled by the results of this field study.
“MagrowTec’ s technology has allowed our client to increase their productivity and profitability, by using the latest innovation and technology to meet the challenges of modern agriculture.”
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Wrapped bales arrived in the 1980s offering a viable alternative to clamp silage, and they remain a solution for those not wishing to invest in expensive clamps – a solution for smaller farms and a means to clearing excess grass at the end of the season.
Celebrating 50 years of being in business in 2025 and specialising in the design and manufacture of an extensive range for the rural industries, Feilding-based McKee Plastics was at Fieldays highlighting a range of feeding products.
John Deere have recently announced upgrades to its round baler offerings, with all models of this latest generation equipped with advanced ISOBUS capabilities, allowing them to be fully integrated into the John Deere Operations Center.
The Landini Rex 4 Series, recently released in New Zealand, is designed with vineyards in mind.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
OPINION: ACT MP Mark Cameron isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he certainly calls it how he sees it, holding…
OPINION: Did former PM Jacinda Ardern get fawning reviews for her book?
