Precision Tech Gets Smarter
AI Guides the Future of Spraying
By Maggie MacHale
Artificial intelligence( AI), machine learning and computer vision are quickly becoming more than just buzz words, especially when it comes to the rapidly advancing world of sprayer technology. It seems that every brand out there, from Amazone to John Deere, has its smart sprayer on the market, but understanding how the technology behind the“ smart” aids your operations can be vital when choosing the right one for your needs.
When discussing smart sprayers, the leading benefit thrown around is savings. However, after diving into CNH’ s new Sense and Act technology, it seems that the benefits for farmers using a smart sprayer can go beyond the wallet, and into the quality of the yield.
CNH Sense and Act
Case IH’ s SenseApply, a new precision spraying technology launched through integration with Augmenta from CNH, steps up the meaning of smart sprayers, giving farmers more abilities when it comes to application in their fields. SenseApply is a cab-mounted camera that sees an area 50 feet ahead and 140 feet in width, integrating into Case IH technology with booms up to 135 feet.
It offers three multi-application uses: Live Variable Rate Application( VRA), green-on-brown spot spray and Base
+ Boost mode. With five Live VRA modes, the camera can create the variable rate prescription in a variety of applications and stages of crop cycles as the vehicle moves through fields in real time, up to 25 mph.
For herbicide applications, green-on-brown spot spray or Base + Boost modes can be applied to weeds in fallow or bare fields to give operators assurance that every weed is being treated with the right amount of product.
Green-on-brown spot spray uses the camera to target green weeds and activate the corresponding nozzles to precisely spray the location as the applicator passes above. The Base + Boost mode, however, applies a base rate across the entire area, boosting the amount required when the camera and technology detect areas with higher weed pressure.
“ You ' re not spraying as high a rate over everything,” says Alex Caldwell, product marketing manager for application equipment at CNH North America.
“ You ' re essentially sorting the weeds by size. If it ' s big enough that the camera can see it, we ' re spraying a little bit extra to make sure we get a good, efficient kill across the field.”
Base + Boost mode can offer value in areas where residual plant matter may cover weeds that are not in view of the camera, spraying at an even rate across the field. While this mode doesn’ t save product, it can provide operators with the knowledge that they are hitting everything with the right amount to save the quality and care of their crops in the future.
The use of AI and machine learning helps to ensure that the product and chemistry is not wasted on areas with a lower concentration of weeds or low-potential areas, while optimizing input for the high-potential crop zones. Depending
8 | 515-574-2206 | 515-574-2189 | August 2025