b'John Deere 8RX Four-Track Tractor wide track kit,by John DeereCommercial Launch: Jan. 4, 2023Driving a tractor down potato rows isnt always easy, as you dont want to drive on top of a hill and damage the spuds growing in it. The John Deere 8RX Four-Track Tractor is a fixed-frame tractor with four tracks designed for potato row spacing. Theres 132-inch, 136-inch, 144-inch and 152-inch track spacing available, allowing the machine to straddle four rows on a 33-inch, 34-inch, 36-inch, or 38-inch spacing. The rubber tracks are available in 16.5-inch or 18-inch track widths for row-crop applications or can be equipped with 24-inch and 30-inch tracksPicketa Systems LENS, by Picketa Systems Inc.for maximum flotation. Commercial Launch: Nov. 15, 2020The wider track spacing allows more room to maneuver theThe faster a deficiency in nutrients is machine over the crop during harvest, reducing the possibilitydiagnosed on a potato plant, the faster of bruise on harvested potatoes. The steerable front tracks of thegrowers can treat the plant and increase tractor have the same turning radius as a machine with a set ofthey chance at higher yields. The duals, but only make one track instead of two. It also has a 25Picketa Systems LENS is a near real-time per cent longer track footprint compared to a two-track machine,plant tissue analysis tool that allows causing reduced compaction, increased traction, and stability onagronomist and growers to do petiole side hills. nutrient analysis without the need for laboratories, eliminating long transit delays and the need for highly trained personnel. Minuet biological fungicide, by Bayer CropScience Picketas product requires for a petiole sample to be taken Commercial Launch:in field. Its then brought back to an office where the plant is December 2022 scanned into Picketas computer program, which instantaneously With potato diseases threateningreveals potato nutrient levels. It uses an optical sensor used to crops and some older cropscan leaf samples and then a machine-learning engine and cloud protection chemistries unable toinfrastructure are used to interpret the data gathered by the use, new products are needed.optical sensor.Minuet, a new biological fungicide, protects potato crops against diseases such as rhizoctonia root rot, pink rot and many other diseases. Its a concentrated in-furrow biological fungicide specificallyReNew and UnLeash, by CanGrow Crop Solutionsdesigned for soil application. Minuet uses a FRAC Group BM02Commercial Launch: 2022fungicide active (Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713) to protectFertilizers, fungicides and herbicides help potatoes to grow against soil-borne diseases such as rhizoctonia root rot, blackhealthy and achieve higher yields, however they are expensive scurf, and stem canker, and it can also protect against pink rotand if overused can cause issues for plants. ReNew and UnLeash and root rot caused by fusarium, phytophthora and pythium. use microbial teams of bacteria and fungi to enhance plant When applied to the root zone, Minuet colonizes the rootsgrowth and productivity. The microbes support nitrogen fixation, and helps enhance root growth, increasing nutrient uptake byphosphorus solubilization, increased nutrient availability, solubilizing nutrients bound in the soil, and helping to protectproduction of plant stress reducing factors and production of plants against biotic and abiotic stress. It supports early plantvitamins and growth promoting hormones. establishment and increases vigour in potatoes increasing theReNew has a diverse microorganism team which ensures quality and yield potential of crops. soil and plants efficiently work together to maximize growth Minuet has been approved for use on organic crops in Canada.and productivity. It provides plant enhancement capabilities including vitamin and hormone production, nutrient releasers, and stress reducers. Its applied in-furrow with water or fertilizers. UnLeash is a microbial biostimulant, residue manager and degrader all in one. Its applied to the soil surface and can be mixed with herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers.8SPUDSMART.COM Spring 2023'