Agricultural crop sprayer comprising a secondary nozzle and method of applying products to an agricultural field

The agricultural crop sprayer with a secondary nozzle system addresses the challenge of treating both planted and unplanted field edges by allowing independent control and movement, ensuring efficient and consistent application of different treatments.

AU2025238871A1Pending Publication Date: 2026-07-09AGCO CORP
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
AU · AU
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
AGCO CORP
Filing Date
2025-01-17
Publication Date
2026-07-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing agricultural sprayers struggle to efficiently apply different treatments to both planted and unplanted areas of a field without overlapping or damaging vegetation, particularly in treating the edges where grasses are desired to grow alongside crops.

Method used

An agricultural crop sprayer with a secondary nozzle isolated from the main nozzle system, allowing independent control and movement, connected to a secondary product tank for treating unplanted areas, and equipped with sensors and motors for precise application.

Benefits of technology

Enables simultaneous and precise application of different treatments to planted and unplanted areas, reducing the need for additional vehicles and ensuring consistent weed control and grass growth along field edges.

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Abstract

An agricultural crop sprayer includes a chassis supported by a plurality of ground- engaging elements. A main product tank, a secondary product tank, and a boom are carried by the chassis. A first plurality of nozzles are spaced along the boom and in fluid connection to the main product tank, and a secondary nozzle is adjacent an end of the boom and in fluid connection to the secondary product tank. The secondary nozzle is isolated from the main product tank. A method of applying products to an agricultural field includes spraying a first product from a main product tank through a first plurality of nozzles spaced along a boom onto the agricultural field, and spraying a secondary product from a secondary product tank through a secondary nozzle adjacent an end of the boom.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing dates of U. S. Provisional Patent Application 63 / 566,509, filed March 18, 2024; U. K. Patent Application 2404560.1, filed March 28, 2024; and U. S. Provisional Patent Application ,752, filed December 4, 2024; the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to agricultural machines, such as agricultural crop sprayers. BACKGROUND

[0003] Product delivery systems of agricultural machines (e.g., sprayers, spreaders) use various mechanisms for conveying a material, such as fertilizer, pesticide, or herbicide, to a field (e.g., soil in the field and / or crops in the field). The product delivery systems may include conduits (e.g., tubes, hoses, flow channels, etc.) in operable communication with a storage tank storing a material to be applied to the field. The product delivery system may further include a boom configured to laterally extend from a chassis of the agricultural machine to apply the material to the field as the agricultural machine traverses the field. During application processes, the boom is laterally extended from the chassis and the material flows through the product delivery system.

[0004] The edges of agricultural fields where crops are not planted may be treated differently than the planted area. For example, it is often desirable to permit grasses to grow around the edges to limit the effects of erosion, but to apply a selective herbicide to kill weeds that would otherwise spread to the planted area. Herbicide applied to the crop area may kill grass, and so may not be suitable for the edges of the field. The edges may be treated before or after treatment of the planted area, using for example, a UTV with a product tank and a spray nozzle. BRIEF SUMMARY

[0005] In some embodiments, an agricultural crop sprayer includes a chassis supported by a plurality of ground-engaging elements. A main product tank, a secondary product tank, and a boom are carried by the chassis. A first plurality of nozzles are spaced along the boom and in fluid connection to the main product tank, and a secondary nozzle is adjacent an end of the boom and in fluid connection to the secondary product tank by a secondary product line. The secondary product line connects the secondary nozzle to the secondary product tank without connecting to any other nozzles between the secondary product tank and the secondary nozzle. The secondary nozzle is isolated from the main product tank and the first plurality of nozzles.

[0006] The first plurality of nozzles may be directed to spray liquid at a ground surface.

[0007] The crop sprayer may optionally include at least one motor configured to move the secondary nozzle relative to the boom, such as to change an area treated by the secondary nozzle. The motor(s) may be configured to rotate the secondary nozzle relative to the boom. For example, the motor(s) may be configured to move the secondary nozzle with at least two degrees of freedom relative to the boom.

[0008] The crop sprayer may include a control system configured to control flow through the secondary nozzle independently of flow through the first plurality of nozzles.

[0009] In some embodiments, the crop sprayer includes an additional secondary nozzle adjacent another end of the boom and in fluid connection to the secondary product tank. The additional secondary nozzle is also isolated from the main product tank. A valve is configured to direct flow from the secondary product tank to either the secondary nozzle or the additional secondary nozzle.

[0010] The crop sprayer may include a sensor carried by the boom and configured to detect a ground surface. For example, the sensor may include a camera.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the crop sprayer includes a rinse tank and a mixing valve, wherein the mixing valve is configured to mix water from the rinse tank with material from the secondary product tank to form a diluted secondary product, and to transfer the diluted secondary product to the secondary nozzle.

[0012] Some embodiments include a method of applying products to an agricultural field. Such methods include spraying a first product from a main product tank through a first plurality of nozzles spaced along a boom onto the agricultural field, and spraying a secondary product from a secondary product tank through a secondary product line to a secondary nozzle adjacent an end of the boom. The secondary product line connects the secondary nozzle to the secondary product tank without connecting to any other nozzles between the secondary product tank and the secondary nozzle.

[0013] The secondary nozzle may be moved relative to the boom, such as by rotating the secondary nozzle. The secondary nozzle may be moved to adjust a direction of flow of the secondary product based at least in part on a parameter of vegetation in a non-planted area the agricultural field.

[0014] Flow through the secondary nozzle may be controlled independently of flow through the first plurality of nozzles.

[0015] The first product may be sprayed at a ground surface. The secondary product may be sprayed in a direction laterally outward from the end of the boom.

[0016] The flow rate of the second product may be adjusted based at least in part on a parameter of vegetation in a non-planted area of the agricultural field. In some embodiments, the secondary product may be mixed with water.

[0017] Within the scope of this disclosure it should be understood that the various aspects, embodiments, examples, and alternatives set out herein, and individual features thereof may be taken independently or in any possible and compatible combination. Where features are described with reference to a single aspect or embodiment, it should be understood that such features are applicable to all aspects and embodiments unless otherwise stated or where such features are incompatible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the present disclosure, various features and advantages may be more readily ascertained from the following description of example embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an agricultural vehicle in the form of a self-propelled crop sprayer;

[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of the agricultural vehicle of FIG. 1 including a boom and part of an application system;

[0021] FIG. 3A is a simplified rear view of a portion of the boom shown in FIG. 2;

[0022] FIG. 3B is a simplified rear view of the end of the boom shown in FIG. 2;

[0023] FIG. 3C is a simplified view of a nozzle adjustment mechanism at the end of the boom shown in FIG. 2;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic illustrating product flow from a tank to a nozzle;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic illustrating product flow from a tank to a nozzle, including mixing or dilution;

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a method of applying products to an agricultural field; and

[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates an example computer-readable storage medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to embody one or more of the methods of applying products to an agricultural field, such as the method illustrated in FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any particular machine or portion thereof, but are merely idealized representations to describe example embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.

[0029] The following description provides specific details of embodiments. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without employing many such specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional techniques employed in the industry. In addition, the description provided below does not include all the elements that form a complete structure or assembly. Only those process acts and structures necessary to understand the embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below. Additional conventional acts and structures may be used. The drawings accompanying the application are for illustrative purposes only, and are thus not drawn to scale.

[0030] As used herein, the terms "comprising," "including," "containing," "characterized by," and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps, but also include the more restrictive terms "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" and grammatical equivalents thereof.

[0031] As used herein, the term "may" with respect to a material, structure, feature, or method act indicates that such is contemplated for use in implementation of an embodiment of the disclosure, and such term is used in preference to the more restrictive term "is" so as to avoid any implication that other, compatible materials, structures, features, and methods usable in combination therewith should or must be excluded.

[0032] As used herein, the term "configured" refers to a size, shape, material composition, and arrangement of one or more of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating operation of one or more of the structure and the apparatus in a predetermined way.

[0033] As used herein, the singular forms following "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0034] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0035] As used herein, spatially relative terms, such as "beneath," "below," "lower," "bottom," "above," "upper," "top," "front," "rear," "left," "right," and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Unless otherwise specified, the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the materials in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.

[0036] As used herein, the term "about" used in reference to a given parameter is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the given parameter).

[0037] As used herein, the term "crop" includes any vegetation grown for food, decoration, or another purpose. Crops include grains, fruits, vegetables, grass (e.g., turf), etc.

[0038] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a crop sprayer 102 used to deliver chemicals to agricultural crops in a field. The crop sprayer 102 includes a chassis 104 and an operator cab 106 mounted on the chassis 104. The chassis 104 is supported in a field by ground-engaging elements 122, which are pictured as wheels, but may also include tracks, skis, etc. The operator cab 106 may house controls for the crop sprayer 102. An engine 108 may be mounted on a forward portion of the chassis 104 in front of the operator cab 106 or may be mounted on a rearward portion of the chassis 104 behind the operator cab 106. The engine 108 may be commercially available from a variety of sources and may include, for example, a diesel engine or a gasoline powered internal combustion engine, a battery-powered electric motor, etc. The engine 108 provides energy to propel the crop sprayer 102 through a field on wheels or tracks, and may also provide energy to spray liquids from the crop sprayer 102.

[0040] Though depicted in FIG. 1 as a self-propelled machine having an operator cab 106, the crop sprayer may alternatively be a pull-type sprayer (as shown, e.g., in U.S. Patent 11,154,045, "Agricultural Sprayer Boom," granted October 26, 2021), a zero-turn machine (as shown, e.g., in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2023 / 0095457 Al, "Swivel Wheel Locking System and Method Thereof," published March 30, 2023; or U.S. Patent 11,122,732, "Fertilizer Distribution Metering System and Method," granted September 21, 2021), or any other machine that can move through a field. Such crop sprayers may not themselves have an operator (in the case of a pull-type sprayer, in which case the operator is in the tractor pulling the sprayer), or the operator may ride on or walk behind the crop sprayer. In other embodiments, the crop sprayer may be autonomous or remotely operated, and may not require an operator on board.

[0041] The crop sprayer 102 includes a main product tank 110 to store a liquid to be sprayed on the field. The liquid may include chemicals, such as but not limited to, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and / or fertilizers. The main product tank 110 may be mounted on the chassis 104, either in front of or behind the operator cab 106. The crop sprayer 102 also includes a secondary product tank 116 to store another chemical to be sprayed on or near the field. A rinse tank 120 is configured to store clean water for rinsing out flow lines and / or diluting chemicals to be applied. In some embodiments, the rinse tank 120 may be omitted, or a tank originally intended for clean water may be used as the secondary product tank 116.

[0042] A boom 112 on the crop sprayer 102 is used to distribute the liquid from the main product tank 110 over a wide swath as the crop sprayer 102 is driven through the field. The boom 112 may include two or more sections that can fold for transport on public roadways, and unfold (i.e., to the position shown in FIG. 1) for field operations. The boom 112 may be of any selected length, such as about 20 meters, about 30 meters, about 40 meters, etc. The boom 112 may be made of various materials, such as steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, composites, etc. For example, the boom 112 may be as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022 / 0217965 Al, "Boom for an Agricultural Crop Sprayer and Method of Manufacture," published July 14, 2022.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of a portion of the boom 112. A first plurality of nozzles 204 are spaced along the boom 112 and in fluid connection to the main product tank 110 (FIG. 1). In use, liquid is conveyed from the main product tank 110 by a liquid distribution system 202 to the nozzles 204. The liquid distribution system 202, which may be mounted on the boom 206, includes at least one supply line and, optionally, a recirculation line connected to the main product tank 110. Recirculation of liquid to the main product tank 110 may be useful for purging lines when changing products without wasting product onto the ground or damaging crops with excess product. Recirculation systems are described in, for example, International Patent Application PCT / IB2023 / 057023, "Liquid Distribution Systems, Crop Sprayers, and Related Methods," filed July 7, 2023. In some embodiments, the recirculation line may be omitted, and the liquid distribution system 202 can be purged at a shop or mixing plant, where liquid can be captured, such as on a catch pad.

[0044] The boom 112 may include multiple sections that fold for transport and unfold for field operations, and may include sections that move in response to obstacles, such as described in U.S. Patent 10,212,927, "Tri-Directional Break-Away Boom Assembly," granted February 26, 2019.

[0045] FIG. 3A is a simplified rear view of a portion of the boom 112, showing nozzles 204 spaced along the boom 112 and connected by to a main product line 324 (which is part of the liquid distribution system 202 shown in FIG. 2). FIG. 3B shows the end of the boom 112 in more detail. The nozzles 204 may generally be evenly spaced along the boom 112 so that spray from the nozzles 204 can consistently apply the product from the main product tank to crops under the boom 112 (i.e., directed toward the ground surface below the crop sprayer 102 (FIG. 1).

[0046] The boom 112 also has a secondary nozzle 320 adjacent the end of the boom 112 to distribute another liquid. The secondary nozzle 320 is in fluid communication to the secondary product tank 116 (FIG. 1). In use, liquid is conveyed from the secondary product tank 116 by a secondary product line 336 to the secondary nozzle 320. The secondary product line 336 connects the secondary nozzle 320 to the secondary product tank 116 without connecting to any other nozzles between the secondary product tank 116 and the secondary nozzle 320. Typically, there is only one secondary nozzle 320 at each boom end (i.e., two secondary nozzles 320 per sprayer 102) or even only one secondary nozzle 320 (e.g., on the right end of boom 112, or on the left end of the boom 112, depending on operator preference), such that secondary product line 336 need not connect to any intermediate nozzles. The secondary nozzle 320 is typically isolated from the main product tank 110 and the nozzles 204 (and the nozzles 204 are isolated from the secondary product tank 116) because the liquids in the main product tank 110 and the secondary product tank 116 are intended to be applied to different areas. For example, the main product tank 110 may contain an herbicide formulated to kill weeds and grass without damaging crops, and the secondary product tank 116 may contain an herbicide formulated to kill weeds without killing grass. Thus, the secondary product tank 116 and the secondary nozzle 320 may be used to treat the edges of a field where crops are not intended to be planted at the same time the main product tank 110 and nozzles 204 treat the crops.

[0047] The secondary nozzle 320 may be configured to spray liquid beyond the end of the boom 112. In some embodiments, the secondary nozzle 320 may be designed to spread liquid laterally outward from the secondary nozzle 320 and disperse the liquid over a wide area. This type of nozzle may be referred to in the art as a "boomless" nozzle. One such nozzle is described, for example, in U.S. Patent 8,668,153, "Spray Nozzle for Low Clearance Spraying," granted March 11, 2014. In some embodiments, the secondary nozzle 320 may be configured to spray a stream of liquid, which may be useful for spraying individual plants (e.g., trees).

[0048] FIG. 3C is a simplified view showing how the secondary nozzle 320 may be coupled to the boom 112. For simplicity of illustration, the secondary product line 336 is omitted from FIG. 3C. The secondary nozzle 320 may be mounted to a bracket 362 that is rotatably mounted to the boom 112 a first pivot 358 (e.g., a shaft). A motor 364 (e.g., a servo motor) may control rotation of the bracket 362 via an arm 356. The secondary nozzle 320 itself may rotate about a second pivot 360 relative to the bracket 362, which rotation may be controlled by another motor. Thus, the secondary nozzle 320 may move relative to the boom 112 with at least two degrees of freedom, enabling the operator to apply the secondary product to accommodate various conditions.

[0049] The boom 112 may also carry a sensor 346 (FIG. 3B) configured to detect a ground surface. In some embodiments, the sensor 346 may be a camera that can detect visible, infrared, and / or UV light. The camera may be coupled to a display in the operator cab 106 (FIG. 1) on which the operator can see the conditions near the end of the boom 112. The operator may then adjust the operating conditions of the secondary nozzle 320 (e.g., flow rate, direction, pressure, etc.) accordingly. In other embodiments, the sensor 346 may be coupled to a computer configured to adjust the secondary nozzle 320 in response to a sensed property of the ground or vegetation.

[0050] FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic illustrating how the secondary nozzle 320 may be connected to the secondary product tank 116. A pump 414 in fluid communication with the secondary product tank 116 pumps liquid from the secondary product tank 116 through the secondary product line 336 to the secondary nozzle 320, which is mounted at one end of the boom 112. The boom 112 may have another secondary nozzle 320 at the opposite end of the boom 112. If there are two secondary nozzles 320, a valve 416 switches flow between the secondary nozzles 320, such that only one operates at a time. One or more recirculation valves 418 may be opened to allow recirculation of the secondary product for priming or cleaning the secondary product line 336. A computer 426 (typically in the operator cab 106 (FIG. 1), may control operation of the pump 414, valve 416, and recirculation valves 418. The computer 426 may also control the movement of the secondary nozzle 320 relative to the boom 112. The computer 426 may also control flow of the main product from the main product tank 110 to the nozzles 204 as described, for example, in International Patent Application PCT / IB2023 / 057023.

[0051] FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic illustrating another way the secondary nozzle 320 may connected to the secondary product tank 116. A pump 414 in fluid communication with the secondary product tank 116 pumps liquid from the secondary product tank 116 to a mixing valve 516. Another pump 512 pumps another liquid (typically water) to the mixing valve 516, where the two liquids are mixed. The mixed liquid passes through the valve 416 (if present) to switch flow between two secondary nozzles 320. In this example, the product in the secondary product tank 116 may be an undiluted chemical, and water may be added to bring the concentration down to a selected amount for application. A recirculation line is not shown in FIG. 5 because typically product would not be recirculated after dilution.

[0052] FIG. 6 is a simplified flow chart illustrating a method 600 of applying products to an agricultural field. In block 602, a first product is sprayed from a main product tank through a first plurality of nozzles spaced along a boom onto the agricultural field. The first product may be sprayed at or toward a ground surface, a crop canopy, or both. The first product may be directed generally downward from the first plurality of nozzles.

[0053] In block 604, a second product is sprayed from a secondary product tank through a secondary nozzle adjacent an end of the boom.

[0054] In block 606, the secondary nozzle is moved relative to the boom. The secondary nozzle may be rotated about one or more axes of rotation, such as with motors and pivoting brackets. The secondary nozzle may be moved based at least in part on a parameter of vegetation in a non-planted area of the field (e.g., a vegetation height or density). The secondary nozzle may be moved to spray the secondary product in a direction laterally outward from the end of the boom.

[0055] In block 608, a flow rate of the second product is adjusted based at least in part on a parameter of vegetation in a non-planted area the agricultural field. For example, the flow rate may be increased when there is tall or thick vegetation in the non-planted area. The flow rate may be controlled automatically and / or at the direction of a human operator.

[0056] Control of the flow through the first plurality of nozzles and the secondary nozzle (in blocks 602 and 604) may be independent of one another.

[0057] Though depicted as a flow chart, the actions in FIG. 6 may be performed concurrently, and in some embodiments, some actions may be omitted.

[0058] Still other embodiments involve a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) having processor-executable instructions configured to implement one or more of the techniques presented herein. An example computer-readable medium that may be devised is illustrated in FIG. 7, wherein an implementation 700 includes a computer-readable storage medium 702 (e.g., a flash drive, CD-R, DVD-R, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a platter of a hard disk drive, etc.), on which is computer-readable data 704. This computer-readable data 704 in turn includes a set of processor-executable instructions 706 configured to operate according to one or more of the principles set forth herein. In some embodiments, the processor-executable instructions 706 may be configured to cause a computer associated with the crop sprayer 102 (FIG. 1) to perform operations 708 when executed via a processing unit, such as at least some of the example method 600 depicted in FIG. 6. In other embodiments, the processor-executable instructions 706 may be configured to implement a system, such as at least some of the example crop sprayer 102 depicted in FIG. 1. That is, the computer 426 (FIG. 4) may include or be connected to the implementation 700 of FIG. 7. Many such computer-readable storage media may be devised by those of ordinary skill in the art that are configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the techniques described herein.

[0059] A benefit of the systems and methods described herein is that the edges of fields can be treated more easily, effectively, and consistently as compared to conventional methods. For example, the edges of fields can be treated at the same time the field is "opened," meaning when the crop sprayer travels around the edges of the field at the beginning of treatment. Treating the edges of the fields in this way may eliminate the need for an additional vehicle (e.g., a UTV) and operator to treat the unplanted areas. Spraying the edges with the crop sprayer described herein may also lead to more consistent product application as compared to manual systems conventionally used to spray field edges. Furthermore, the edges of the fields may be sprayed every time the crop is sprayed, yielding more consistent weed control in the fence areas, and limiting encroachment of weeds and pests into the planted area of the field. Thus, instead of spraying once per year, the edges of the field may be sprayed several times during the growing season. Finally, the edges of the field may be sprayed with a different formulation more suited to the unplanted area, so that grasses may be permitted to grow around the edges. Herbicides typically applied to the crop area kill grass, but grass is beneficial along the fence lines.

[0060] All references cited herein are incorporated herein in their entireties. If there is a conflict between definitions herein and in an incorporated reference, the definition herein shall control.

Claims

1. An agricultural crop sprayer, comprising:a chassis supported by a plurality of ground-engaging elements;a main product tank carried by the chassis;a secondary product tank carried by the chassis;a boom carried by the chassis;a first plurality of nozzles spaced along the boom and in fluid connection to the main product tank; anda secondary nozzle adjacent an end of the boom and in fluid connection to the secondary product tank by a secondary product line, wherein the secondary product line connects the secondary nozzle to the secondary product tank without connecting to any other nozzles between the secondary product tank and the secondary nozzle, and wherein the secondary nozzle is isolated from the main product tank and the first plurality of nozzles.

2. The agricultural crop sprayer of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor configured to move the secondary nozzle relative to the boom.

3. The agricultural crop sprayer of claim 2, wherein the at least one motor is configured to rotate the secondary nozzle relative to the boom.

4. The agricultural crop sprayer of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the at least one motor is configured to move the secondary nozzle with at least two degrees of freedom relative to the boom.

5. The agricultural crop sprayer of any of claim 1 to 4, further comprising a control system configured to control flow through the secondary nozzle independently of flow through the first plurality of nozzles.

6. The agricultural crop sprayer of any of claim 1 to 5, further comprising an additional secondary nozzle adjacent another end of the boom and in fluid connection to the secondary product tank, the additional secondary nozzle isolated from the main product tank.

7. The agricultural crop sprayer of claim 6, further comprising a valve configured to direct flow from the secondary product tank to either the secondary nozzle or the additional secondary nozzle.

8. The agricultural crop sprayer of any of claim 1 to 7, wherein the first plurality of nozzles are directed to spray liquid at a ground surface.

9. The agricultural crop sprayer of any of claim 1 to 8, further comprising sensor carried by the boom and configured to detect a ground surface.

10. The agricultural crop sprayer of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a camera.

11. The agricultural crop sprayer of any of claim 1 to 10, further comprising a rinsetank and a mixing valve, wherein the mixing valve is configured to mix water from the rinse tank with material from the secondary product tank to form a diluted secondary product, and to transfer the diluted secondary product to the secondary nozzle.

12. A method of applying products to an agricultural field, the method comprising: spraying a first product from a main product tank through a first plurality of nozzles spaced along a boom onto the agricultural field; andspraying a secondary product from a secondary product tank through a secondary product line to a secondary nozzle adjacent an end of the boom, wherein the secondary product line connects the secondary nozzle to the secondary product tank without connecting to any other nozzles between the secondary product tank and the secondary nozzle.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the secondary nozzle relative to the boom.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein moving the secondary nozzle comprises rotating the secondary nozzle relative to the boom.

15. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein moving the secondary nozzle comprises adjusting a direction of flow of the secondary product based at least in part on a parameter of vegetation in a non-planted area the agricultural field.

16. The method of any of claim 12 to 15, further comprising controlling flow through the secondary nozzle independently of flow through the first plurality of nozzles.

17. The method of any of claim 12 to 16, wherein spraying the first product comprises spraying the first product at a ground surface.

18. The method of any of claim 12 to 17, wherein spraying the secondary product comprises spraying the second product in a direction laterally outward from the end of the boom.

19. The method of any of claim 12 to 18, further comprising adjusting a flow rate of the second product based at least in part on a parameter of vegetation in a non-planted area of the agricultural field.

20. The method of any of claim 12 to 19, wherein spraying the secondary product comprises mixing the secondary product with water.