1. Section Control John Fulton
Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
Biosystems Engineering Department
Auburn University
200 Corley Building
Auburn, AL 36849
Office:
Fax:

3. NRCS Precision Agricultue EQIP Training
Headland Pass
Operator Response
Needed Overlap
Manual
Shut-Off
3-Section Control
Manual versus Automatic Section Control
Highlights the current state of application equipment without auto-swath. Operator must manually turn ON/OFF boom or sections of it.

4. Automatic Section Control
11/14/2018
Automatic Section Control
Automatic ON / OFF of sections on application equipment
GPS-based technology
Sections turn OFF: previously treated areas or unwanted areas
Reduces 1) overlap and 2) application in unwanted areas (waterways, buffer strips, etc.).

5. Automatic Section Control
11/14/2018
Automatic Section Control
Nozzles OFF
Buffer Strip

6. Sprayers Capstan Solenoid Body
Example of individual nozzle control (auto-nozzle) as sprayer moves out of the crop.
Source: Purdue University

7. Headland or Point Rows (turnaround)
11/14/2018
Headland or Point Rows (turnaround)
Overlap occurs across the boom
Mitigated with automatic section control
Overlap represented in blue.

8. Difference with Technology
11/14/2018
Difference with Technology
Manual Errors
Overlaps (blue)
Skips (red)
ASC Errors
Overlaps reduced (blue)
Skips eliminated
Images courtesy of Luck and Shearer

9. Sprayer
Planters

10. Auto-Section Control for Planters
Individual row clutches
Pneumatic (Tru-Count / Trimble)
Electric (John Deere, AgLeader, etc.)
Cost is between $600 - $900 per row
RTK correction recommended for individual row control

11. Value of ASC Corn Cotton 20% to 52% yield loss
Harvest loss: >2 times (>2 bu/ac)
Higher incidence of Aflatoxin
Cotton
12% to 27% yield loss (2 vs 1.6 ba/ac)
Increase in plugged tubes on picker (headache)
VS.

12.
11/14/2018
Reduction in Overlap
Manual versus Automatic Section Control – Sprayer Example
Courtesy of Luck and Shearer, University of Kentucky

13. Savings increase with the size of planter (8 → 24 rows)
Equipment Size?
Savings increase with the size of planter (8 → 24 rows)
11/14/2018

14. Damaged Grassed Waterway

17. Automatic Section Control for Planters Cost Calculator (ASCCC)