During the fall farm shows, John Deere unveiled a new eight-row folding corn head, and a new spray system for 2017. The spray system will be a first for the company as it enters the pulse width modulation business, which provide highly precise spray control no matter your speed.

SPRAY PRECISELY: The ExactApply system offers precision spraying with enhanced options. It can spray in pulse width modulation mode, or in constant pressure mode, depending on the product you're applying and the nozzle you use.

First up is the new corn head with the 608FC model, and some combine upgrades. The 8-row, 30-inch head can be controlled from the GreenStar 2630 display right from the cab and will fold to less than 11-feet wide (in fact the combine shown had duals and the folded-head width is actually narrower than the inside singles). This provides better transport and a folding head is a productivity booster because you don't have to take it off, and pull it behind the combine. That's a real time saver.

The corn head works with group 6 and 6 S Series Combines. The head is available with or without a stalk chopping option. Like all 600C corn heads, this new 608FC has an improved row unit slip clutch and drive shaft interface for longer life when harvesting today's more robust hybrids.

Besides the expanded header lineup for combines, for model year 2017, there are other changes including operator comfort upgrades like an operator foot rest, upgraded Bluetooth for hands free communication and a low sidewall tire option. In addition, there will be a factory installed camera harness setup that will allow you to connect up to three cameras to the combine to increase overall visibility.

And the Harvest Mobile application gets an upgrade including split screens to see two map layers at the same time; variety information while harvesting (using information from Operation Center) and there's the interactive combine adjustment capability that provide machine automation technology for improve harvest efficiency.

High-tech sprayer

Increasingly more precise spraying technologies are needed these days to maximize crop protection investments and improve application accuracy. One technology that's getting more attention is pulse-width modulation spraying. John Deere is entering the market with a "digital sprayer system" the company is calling ExactApply which provides intelligent nozzle control for sprayers. Farmers will be able to order the new spray system on their new sprayers beginning in June 2017. The system requires a stainless steel plumbing system at this time. And the company is looking at the potential for a retrofit for older sprayers – for the future.

Most pulse-width modulation systems on the market pulse at 10 times a second. The Deere system is capable of putting product through a single nozzle at 30 pulses per second and it works with a wide variety of nozzles. This allows the sprayer to run at a constant pressure and droplet size no matter the speed or application rate. This can provide improved coverage across the field.

You can also spray at 15 pulses per second if that's the better choice for your nozzle. Users will have the ability to switch spraying between two preselected nozzles with the push of a button inside the cab. The nozzle body holds six nozzles, in essence three pairs of nozzles. You can also automatically vary the rate across the entire boom, and it reduces the number of nozzles needed because of range increases on each nozzle.

A unique feature is the LED lighting on each individual nozzle for improved visibility of spray pattern in low light conditions. In addition the system allows you to use the sprayer without pulsing – a requirement for air-induction nozzles, adding flexibility for the new spray system.

The new system is fully integrated into the Greenstar 2630 display and SprayStar so it works with a wide range of John Deere precision and data management products.

For more information, visit johndeere.com.