Sprayers have very thin tires so that when they drive through the crop, they don’t damage too much of the crop.
Sprayers
Early Sprayers
Sprayers are used throughout the growing season of crops. Farmers use pesticides and fertilizers to help their crops grow and to prevent any pests or diseases. There are a variety of tools that can be used to apply the pesticide to the crop.
The first sprayer design was created by Ray Hagie in 1947. He invented a high-clearance, self-propelled sprayer.
The first high-clearance sprayer was invented in 1947.
By 1960, Ray Hagie expanded to develop the first rear-wheel drive sprayer, which was the first to have a front-mounted spray boom.
This is a rear-wheel drive sprayer with a front-mounted spray boom that was invented in 1960.
Modern Sprayers
Between 1968 and 1980, Hagie made a few more design changes that involved the addition of larger tanks to carry water and better suspension systems. This model had an optional cab for farmers to ride in. This design is still seen today.
Newer versions of the high-clearance sprayer had cabs for the driver to ride in and booms on the sides of the sprayer.
New inventions in the sprayer industry have continued to make spraying more efficient.
Multiple agriculture companies develop their own sprayers and have added their own design elements and features based on Hagie’s original designs.
Crop dusters are airplanes that can spray crops. Crop dusters are very fast and don’t damage the crops by driving over them with tires.
High-Clearance Sprayer
Crop Duster
Helicopter
Drone
Today, crop farmers use sprayers with large horizontal booms, crop dusters, helicopters, or drones to apply pesticides.