Hi-tech ‘geekery’ comes of age as planning tool
Tailored field maps available via a mobile phone direct to the tractor
RatheR than requiring a degree in “techno-geekery”, farmers wanting to use hi-tech precision farming methods can now download pre-prepared – and individually tailored – plans directly into a control box on their tractor, via a mobile phone SIM card, as they drive into the field, ready to start work.
Stating that hi-tech farming had come of age, David Whatoff, agricultural research and development manager with precision farming pioneer SOYL, told a workshop in Perth yesterday that a “joined-up” approach allowed what had been a diverting area of interest for the technologically savvy to become a management tool that for all.
the development of cloud computing, he said, had freed farmers from the need to carry laptops or even memory sticks around with them, allowing them to concentrate on making the management decisions rather than focusing on the technology itself.
Business development manager tom Parker said that nutrient maps and variable rate spreaders were now widely used to target inputs of P and K fertilisers and lime to where they were needed – rather than using a uniform blanket application based on an average figure for the whole field.
he said that the current developments were seeing the use of similar technology for targeting nitrogen fertiliser inputs – and also to adjust seed rates at sowing to get the optimum rate of establishment.
“Using variable seed rates can help ensure that growers get the optimum levels of establishment over the whole field – as seed survival rates can vary tremendously depending on soil types. Getting an even stand across the field is an important first step in ensuring inputs are used effectively.”
conductivity scanners, he said, could give an excellent indication of soil variations across a field, but this had to be backed up with “ground-truthing”, a more low tech approach of actually investigating the soil profile with the use of a spade.
“this is certainly a job that’s worth doing – it’s only ever going to have to be done once as your soil types aren’t going to change.”