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smart box
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boog
Posted 7/16/2006 10:40 (#27058 - in reply to #26637)
Subject: Re: smart box



IHboog's dad here. We originally went to the smart boxes when we bought a JD 1790 planter. Smart Boxes were the only settup available at the time if you wanted to use granular insecticide, maybe that has changed now, as mother deere decided that liquid insecticide or traited corn was the thing of the near future & granular would soon be obsolete. We are in an area that the variant western rootworms are a major problem & liquid insecticide nor poncho 1250 has very little affect on them. Have even seen problems with rw resistant corn.


The other reason I wanted to go with the smart box system was health reasons. Though I no longer run the planter I have handled insecticides for years and although I have no health problems associated with insecticides at this time I have seen several of the older farmers in this area develope health problems that have been diagnosed as possibly being from handling chemicals. Prostrate cancer seems to be the one that is most predominate around here.

Yes, there are some disadvantages using the Smart Boxes as IHboog pointed out as will there be with anything mechanical. Early on, the choice of insecticides were limited as well but there seems to be more available now. Biggest I see is when you are finishing up planting & trying to endup with little or no product in the small hoppers the boxes attach to and without a bunch of partially filled boxes sitting around till next year.

On the plus side they are pretty accurate. They may not be on the money but are more accurate than any granular system that I have been around. If you take your time to recalibrate, prior to use & a inseason touchup, they will apply very close to what you wanted. We use Aztec & a full rate is 3.25#/ac. The 1st year our overall rate on approx 1500 ac of corn was 3.33# and we never have been off more than a couple tenths per acre. But by far the biggest plus is not being exposed to the chemical like you are when handling bagged insecticide.

IMO, the health factor in itself far outweighs any negative features of the system. When we traded planters a couple weeks ago I gave IHboog the choice of keeping our SB system or going with granular boxes but I let him know exactly how I felt & whay my concerns were.. He decided to have having the SB system switched to the new planter & I'm very glad that he made that choice.





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