Orchard Tractors

John Deere has introduced a line of tractors specially designed for the confined spaces and field conditions of orchards and vineyards. The three tractors range from 76- to 96-horsepower and from 53 to 57 inches wide. They have 24 forward and 16 reverse speeds. The easy-shifting transmission allows the operator to work at speeds from under one mile per hour up to 20 miles per hour. The two larger models have no-spin front differential for better traction and control. The three-point hitch has 5,500 pounds of lift capacity, and the hydraulic system has a 10 gallons per minute flow rate.

Rely 200

Rely 200 (glufosinate) herbicide, from Bayer CropSciences, has been registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for use in California and other U.S. states. It is approved for use on grapes, apples, and tree nuts.

Rely 200 is a more concentrated formulation of the original Rely herbicide and is designed to control grass and broadleaf weeds, such as marestail, fleabane, malva, and clover, including those showing resistance to other herbicides such as glyphosate.

Assail

The insecticide Assail (acetamiprid) is now registered for use on stone fruits as well as pome fruits, since it has been registered for use on additional crops. Assail, a product from Nippon Soda Company, is labeled for control of sucking and chewing pests, including aphids, cherry fruit fly, oriental fruit moth, and peach twig borer.

Presidio

Valent U.S.A. Corporation’s Presidio (fluopicolide) fungicide has received a registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use in grapes and vegetable crops to control diseases such as downy mildew. The product combines preventive and some reach-back protection.

The label calls for tank mixing with another fungicide to prevent resistance.

Sleek Tractor

Mahindra USA has introduced a sleek new tractor model, the ergonomically-designed 2525, with a 25-horsepower engine and lift capacity of 1,702 pounds. It is a three-cylinder tractor with a four-stroke water-cooled direct-injection diesel engine. Standard features include a tiltable rollover projection system, four-wheel drive, safety switches, a forward/reverse synchro shuttle with eight forward and eight reverse gears, as well as armrests and cup-holders.

For more information, check the Web site at www.mahindrausa.com.