The one-drum solution for summer spraying

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Case StudyAgronomist

The one-drum solution for summer spraying

For Elders Regional Agronomist Ben Romeo, summer spraying rarely follows a single set of conditions. One product that holds up across all of them is worth a lot.

WhoBen Romeo
RoleRegional Agronomist, Elders
CountryCentral Tablelands to Condobolin, NSW
A trusted solution for summer weed control
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Covering territory from the New South Wales Central Tablelands through to the western slopes around Condobolin, Ben’s client base covers irrigation country, dryland systems, mixed farming operations and straight cropping enterprises. That means every summer spray program must account for changing conditions, different water sources, varied weed pressures and operators who need to keep moving.

For Ben, that’s exactly where OUTRIGHT 770 has found its place.

“I can trust OUTRIGHT 770 as one product over summer. Whether it’s feathertop rhodes or windmill grasses, I don’t have to swap between products like I used to. I’ve just got one product, and I can move the same mix from one paddock to the next.”Ben Romeo, Regional Agronomist, Elders

Managing water quality and fill risks

For an agronomist managing a broad and varied client base, consistency means less time second-guessing the tank mix and more time getting through the work. Water quality is one of the biggest variables across Ben’s territory, making OUTRIGHT 770’s all-in-one liquid formulation highly valuable.

“Having the three products in one as a liquid has been fantastic, especially if you’re in that mid-range with hardness, around 500 parts per million,” Ben explains. “We can go straight to the 500 mL rate and just have the one product without mixing anything else in.”

That simplicity also takes pressure off spray operators during busy summer periods, particularly when filling conditions are less than ideal.

“Spray operators are in a rush,” Ben says. “If they mix in the wrong conditions, especially when we’re using cold water, we can have issues with AMS. It drops straight to the bottom of the tank, goes through the pump and locks up the main suction filters.”

Because OUTRIGHT 770 is a liquid formulation, the ammonium sulphate is already dissolved, immediately removing that risk from the filling process.

Ben Romeo
Ben Romeo

Performance at the margins

Performance at the margins matters, especially late in the day when conditions like temperature and relative humidity can quickly become more challenging.

“When we’re pushing the boundary trying to finish that last tank, we’ve found that with the esterified canola oil in OUTRIGHT, it’s still grabbing the weeds we need,” Ben says. “It’s not burning like some older products. It’s allowing the glyphosate to do the bulk of the work and get into the plant.”

In fallow spraying, those compounding efficiencies can make a real difference. Minimising fill time and maximising time in the paddock directly correlates to getting the best result.

Before recommending it, Ben trialled a drum of OUTRIGHT 770 on his own farm against his usual products. That first-hand proof of consistency and efficacy is what gives him the confidence to put OUTRIGHT in front of clients across a wide range of summer spraying conditions.

Ben and Jesh discuss Outright770
Ben and Jesh discuss Outright770

At a glance

Territory
NSW Central Tablelands to the western slopes around Condobolin
Systems covered
Irrigation, dryland, mixed farming, straight cropping
Water hardness
Around 500 ppm mid-range
Rate used
500 mL, one product, nothing else in the mix
Target weeds
Feathertop rhodes, windmill grasses

About OUTRIGHT 770 Spray Adjuvant

Farming is tough, but herbicide application doesn’t need to be complicated.

OUTRIGHT 770 Spray Adjuvant by VICCHEM combines ammonium sulphate, penetrating oil and non-ionic surfactants in one convenient liquid formulation. Designed to simplify summer fallow spraying, it helps improve herbicide performance while reducing mixing complexity, compatibility issues and downtime.

OUTRIGHT 770 also helps manage the impact of variable and hard water, supporting more reliable spray performance where water quality can otherwise affect herbicide results. Compatible with glyphosate and commonly used knockdown programs, OUTRIGHT 770 is used by growers and agronomists looking for straightforward, dependable spray solutions when timing matters most.

For more information, contact VICCHEM on 03 9301 7000, or ask your agronomist or local rural retailer about OUTRIGHT 770 and the full VICCHEM range.


Grower Mathew Malloy standing in a paddock at Binya, New South Wales, in front of an autonomous SwarmFarm spray robot

Why consistency counts when the robots are doing the spraying

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Case StudyGrower

Why consistency counts when the robots are doing the spraying

For Mathew Malloy, spraying looks a little different to most broadacre operations. When the machines refill themselves, every product going into the tank has to behave the same way every time.

WhoMathew Malloy
WhereBinya, New South Wales
Scale10,500 ha arable
A 10,500 ha automated SwarmBots system, taken to the next level
A 10,500 ha automated SwarmBots system, taken to the next level — nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.Watch on YouTube →

On his 10,500-hectare arable farming operation at Binya, New South Wales, a fleet of autonomous SwarmFarm robots now handles much of the summer spray program across the sandy loam soils. Supported by an automated dock and refill station, the system is designed to keep machines moving with minimal human intervention.

That level of autonomy brings a simple but critical requirement: every product going into the tank needs to be consistent, easy to measure and simple to handle.

“OUTRIGHT 770 was brought to our attention through our agronomist,” Mathew says. “We were looking for a liquid-based ammonium sulphate and wetter to help with our dock and refill system. But since we’ve started using it, we’ve also found mixing chemicals into the self-propelled sprayers a lot easier. We’re not having to handle as many different products.”

The liquid advantage for automation

For automated docking systems to work efficiently, inputs must flow seamlessly. VICCHEM Territory Manager Jeshua Smith says OUTRIGHT 770 is perfectly suited to Mathew’s automated setup.

Jeshua Smith — Territory Manager, VICCHEM

“The current dock and refill station requires a liquid product that it can measure out accurately. It can’t handle granules. That’s where OUTRIGHT 770 has a real fit. An IBC can be connected to the system, and the exact liquid dose is administered into the water as the machine is filling.”

This efficiency proves crucial during the post-harvest window, when targeted weed control becomes the farm’s primary focus. With their weed-detection technology, the robots are able to optimise the spray application to only weeds, applying chemicals where it’s needed rather than across bare ground.

Matt and Jesh watching the automated refilling of the Swarmbot
Matt and Jesh watching the automated refilling of the Swarmbot

Practical benefits in the paddock

The logistical benefits of consolidating inputs have rippled across the entire Binya operation. Running a large spray program across a big area means labour and simplicity are just as important as the technology deployed in the paddock.

“I employ a lot of staff, and having one product that can do two or three jobs at once makes things easier,” Mathew says. “It significantly reduces the number of shuttles of different products we have to move around. Ultimately, it just makes the mixing process a lot simpler.”

There have also been practical benefits in the sprayers themselves.

“When mixing OUTRIGHT 770 and running it through the sprayers, we’ve seen a reduction in crystal build-up in our filters and nozzles after repeated use and long days of spraying,” Mathew says. “That’s helped reduce our cleaning time.”

For an autonomous spray system, reliability is critical. Fewer interruptions mean more time working in the paddock and less time spent managing problems at refill. According to Jeshua, that consistency is exactly what automated spraying systems need.

Jeshua Smith — Territory Manager, VICCHEM

“In Matt’s swarmbot ecosystem, with multiple robotic sprayers and a refill and dock station, reliability is critical given the cost and complexity of the equipment. Having a consistent product, where you know what you’re getting out of the drum and it’s easy to measure and use from fill to fill, really matters, especially in a variable climate like the one Matt is farming in.”

“OUTRIGHT 770 makes the mixing process a lot simpler.”Mathew Malloy, Binya NSW
Robotic sprayer Swarmbot refilling before herbicide application.
Robotic sprayer Swarmbot refilling before herbicide application.

At a glance

Operation
10,500 ha arable, Binya NSW
Soils
Sandy loam to loam
Machinery
Autonomous SwarmFarm robot sprayers plus self-propelled sprayers
Refilling
Automated dock and refill station, IBC-fed liquid dosing
When
Summer phase, after harvest
Result
Fewer shuttles, less crystal build-up in filters and nozzles, more reliable refills

About OUTRIGHT 770 Spray Adjuvant

Farming is tough, but herbicide application doesn’t need to be complicated.

OUTRIGHT 770 Spray Adjuvant by VICCHEM combines ammonium sulphate, penetrating oil and non-ionic surfactants in one convenient liquid formulation. Designed to simplify summer fallow spraying, it helps improve herbicide performance while reducing mixing complexity, compatibility issues and downtime.

OUTRIGHT 770 also helps manage the impact of variable and hard water, supporting more reliable spray performance where water quality can otherwise affect herbicide results. Compatible with glyphosate and commonly used knockdown programs, OUTRIGHT 770 is used by growers looking for straightforward, dependable spray solutions when timing matters most.

For more information, contact VICCHEM on 03 9301 7000, or ask your agronomist or local rural retailer about OUTRIGHT 770 and the full VICCHEM range.