The Quacker-Whacker

The Quacker-Whacker CROPS Weed Control Most exciting new development in weed control we ve seen lately is the amazing Quacker Whacker developed by a group of innovators in and around Roseau Minn It all began early last spring Area farmers who for years have been fighting a losing battle with quackgrass got together with a few businessmen and area weed specialists to brainstorm new strategy built around Monsanto s new Roundup herbicide The problem: How to get the herbicide on quackgrass and tall growing weeds without getting any of it on the lower growing crop below We experimented with a recirculating type sprayer for applying Roundup but didn t feel it was the answer Every time the horizontal spray stream hits a weed it splashes some herbicide on the crop below We also had problems with the horizontaltype sprayer in wind explains Dwight Roll who came up with a totally different experimental approach to the problem His solution: Brushing herbicide on tall growing quackgrass with a giant-size roller brush made out of carpeting Called the QuackerWhacker the device brushes chemical on the tall growing weeds killing them on contact - without splashing or spilling a drop of chemical to harm the crop below Dwight emphasizes that at present the Quacker-Whacker project is experimental We re hopeful that Roundup will soon receive full label clearance for this type of brush application on tall weeds in lower growing crops he told FARM SHOW Meanwhile we plan to move full speed ahead with plans for having the Quacker-Whacker applicator produced commercially We ve compared notes with a few manufacturers and would welcome the opportunity to visit with any others that may be interested Dwight and several others involved in developing the new brushtype applicator have applied for a patent They built the original prototype in 3 days last June using a Model 400 Versatile hydrostatic self-propelled swather They removed the header and replaced it with the Quacker-Whacker assembly The brush is a 20 ft long cylinder covered with nylon-dacron carpeting Herbicide is pumped from a supply tank mounted on the swather and fed onto the carpet through a perforated hose Movement of the rotating cylinder along with a wiper blade helps hold the spray solution to the carpet so it doesn t spill or splash on the crop Height of the roller is adjusted so it touches tall growing weeds but not the crop below Controls allow the driver to adjust height and rotating speed of the roller travel speed and the amount of spray material pumped onto the carpeted roller It works great reports Dwight who pending clearance for using Roundup to control weeds in growing crops envisions a multitude of uses for this new way to rescue a wide variety of crops from tall growing weeds Possible uses include: • Removing volunteer corn in soybeans This could be one of its really big uses It would be faster and easier than chopping corn out of beans by hand Roll points out • Removing quackgrass and other tall growing weeds including undersirable tall growing bluegrass plants from bluegrass • Because there is no spilling splashing misting or dribbling of the brushed-on spray material Dwight feels the Quacker-Whacker offers advantage over horizontal type sprayers What s more the brush applicator s operating efficiency isn t bothered by wind In fact wind is actually a help rather than a hindrance to the Quacker-Whacker explains Dwight It keeps the top of weeds bobbing back and forth thus increasing the chance of their coming in contact with the roller brush Only a portion of a weed has to come into contact with the brush If only one leaf for example comes in contact with the roller the chemical Roundup will translocate from the leaf through the entire plant to completely kill it - roots and all • Operating distance between the roller and the crop itself is determined in part by how level the ground surface is On a smooth soil surface and relatively flat terrain the 20 ft long cylinder can be operated within 2 in of the crop Roll poi

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