Byron Birch, a farmer and agronomist from Bellata on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, has put MagrowTec’s magnetic spray technology through rigorous scientific testing on his wheat, chickpeas, sorghum, and cotton operation.

“We saw the MagrowTec on one of the tech forums, and we were quite interested in how it worked,” explains Byron, who combines farming with running a contracting business and working with the family operation, B&W Rural. After attending a field day where MagrowTec demonstrated the benefits of magnetic resonance in spray fluid lines, Byron was convinced to trial the system.

What caught Byron’s attention were claims of significant spray performance improvements. “We’ve seen some TikTok videos and stuff saying that there could be up to 30% improvement in spray deposits,” he notes. “Some of the stuff that we’ve already seen is better canopy penetration in the cotton.”

To verify MagrowTec’s effectiveness, Byron and MagrowTec’s crop science department have conducted analysis using water-sensitive paper testing. “We’ve done a scientific analysis on just what it actually is doing for the spray droplets, and how much better of a spray job we can get by having a MagrowTec on the farm,” he explains.

In an area dominated by cotton production, drift reduction is crucial. “We’re very conscious of the sensitive crops that surround us. We grow it ourselves as well, so we obviously don’t want to do any damage to our own crops or the neighbours,” Byron says.

“This is one extra tool in the shed that might be able to reduce any drift that might occur during the summer period when we’re spraying fallows surrounding these sensitive crops.”

The study, conducted by MagrowTec crop scientist Dan Corfe, proved that coverage was improved significantly in the Barley crop under trial through the application of MagrowTec.

“Despite the lower application volume rates, the MagrowTec system showed a consistent improvement in drop deposition across the canopy at both the upper and the lower parts of the canopy zones. This equated to about a 26% increase in coverage performance with the MagrowTec system versus the conventional boom,” explains Dan.

Byron Birch was similarly impressed by the results, observing that MagrowTec eliminated the need for a second pass.

“We’ve had two paddocks side by side that have been sprayed. One had the conventional machine in it and the other one had the MagrowTec machine in it. A month after application, we ended up having to put the optical spot sprayer back into the conventional area with hard-to-kill sow thistle and milk thistle that had come through, versus the MagrowTec paddock: we didn’t have to touch it at all.”

The economic implications of MagrowTec’s improved spray coverage are substantial. Byron calculates that better first-pass efficacy could eliminate the need for double-knock applications on hard-to-kill weeds, saving “anywhere between $30 and $50 a hectare depending on what we’re targeting.”

“This technology is proven. It actually does work. It could save you chemical, it could save you passes. I think in the long term, this will actually be better for the environment and hopefully it’ll save money in the long run.”

MagrowTec’s benefits extend beyond herbicides.

“For fungicides and stuff like that where we can just get a much better result from the first pass, that buys us more time before we have to come back again,” Byron observes.

This improved efficiency with MagrowTec means less machinery use, better time management, and improved work-life balance for farm workers.

As an agronomist who regularly tests new products for other farmers, Byron appreciates being able to separate genuine innovations from “snake oils.” His systematic approach to evaluating MagrowTec – from initial observation of better canopy penetration to detailed scientific testing – reflects his commitment to providing reliable recommendations.

“We’re hoping that this will give us that bit of an edge on those hard-to-kill weeds,” Byron concludes. With MagrowTec’s magnetic technology showing promising results in both drift reduction and spray deposition, Byron’s trials could pave the way for wider adoption across the Northern Tablelands.

To learn more, watch the video series below:

Part 1: What the Grower Expected from the Trial

Part 2: Final Results & Grower Considerations

Part 3: Results Explained by MagrowTec Crop Science