Dream tractor?

The Mach 4 is an articulated reversible quad-track vehicle for specialized farming. Launched in Italy in 2008 as a “dream tractor,” it is now one of the leading models that Antonio Carraro produces. It is a universal vehicle designed to handle extreme working conditions on any kind of ground. The four rubber tracks provide stability on steep slopes and continuous traction on slippery or crumbly ground and snow, and provide driving comfort comparable to a traditional tractor. It is equipped with a joystick in the operator seat armrest and has a low center of mass, making it safe to handle. It turns like a tractor, but ground compaction is about a fifth of that of a conventional tractor. It can be used with traditional towing or pushing equipment or front-mounted implements.

The Mach 4 is approved for road speeds of up to 40 ­kilometers per hour (25 mph) and can be fitted with an ­air-­conditioned/heated cab.
Rely reformulated

Bayer CropScience has launched a new, more powerful formulation of its Rely (glufosinate-ammonium) herbicide called Rely 280, which is also less expensive than the original version.

Rely 280 is a nonselective contact herbicide registered for postemergent weed control in tree, nut, vine, and some berry crops. It controls broadleaf weeds and grasses, including those resistant to glyphosate and other herbicide classes, according to Bayer. It has a reentry period of 12 hours and a preharvest interval of 14 days. For information, check the Web site at www.bayercrop
scienceus.com.

Innovative sprinkler

Nelson Irrigation Corporation’s R33 Rotator Sprinkler received a new product award for agriculture from the Irrigation Association. With advancements in speed control, the sprinkler can move from slow mode back to a fast mode throughout its rotation. By reducing the speed of rotation intermittently, the R33 produces a wind-fighting pattern with maximum throw distance, according to Nelson. The fast mode helps fill out the water pattern for greater uniformity. The R33, which is made in the United States, is easy to repair and costs less than brass sprinklers.

Nelson has also introduced the R33LP rotator, which is a low-pressure version of the R33. The recommended pressure rate is 25 to 50 pounds per square inch.

For more information, check the company Web site www.nelsonirrigation.com.

Bin maker expands

Macro Plastics is expanding its plastic container manufacturing capacity with the acquisition of a 162,000-square-foot facility in Shelbyville, Kentucky, to meet increasing demand in the United States, ­Mexico, and Europe.

The company produces MacroBin vented solid wall containers for agriculture, ProBin solid wall and collapsible containers for the food-processing market, and Shuttle­Bin foldable containers for the retail market. Production of MacroTrac portable flooring will begin this spring.

Early calcium

Sysstem-Cal is a calcium and copper foliar fertilizer designed to improve fruit quality and firmness. It is designed for foliar use to supply calcium directly to the fruit. Sysstem-Cal can be used at all plant growth stages but is particularly effective between prebloom and early fruit development when demand for calcium peaks in all plants, according to the manufacturer, AgroK Corporation. The product can be tank mixed with early-season applications of Apogee (prohexadione calcium), Promalin (gibberellic acid and benzyladenine), and other plant growth regulators on apples without reducing effectiveness.

Indar registered in New York

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has registered Indar 2F (fenbuconazole) for disease control in apples, stone fruits, blueberries, and cranberries. Indar is a systemic, broad-spectrum fungicide that controls diseases such as scab, rusts, powdery mildew, sooty blotch, and flyspeck in apples, according to the manufacturer, Dow AgroSciences. It is also labeled for control of blossom blight, fruit brown rot, peach scab, and cherry leafspot in stone fruits.

Indar, a Group 3 fungicide, has both preventive and curative properties but should be tank mixed with a protectant fungicide if possible and alternated with fungicides with different modes of action to help prevent resistance, according to Dow. For more information, check the Web site www.indar.com.