How to reduce the use of fertilisers by 20% and also increase productivity in the field.

16 March 2021

Precision agriculture has transformed the agribusiness sector. With advantages such as increased efficiency and resource savings, this technology has become essential for those who want to maintain optimised operations from planting planning to harvesting. One of the ways to ensure these changes in farming is with the use of fertiliser controls, which regulate and automate the application of inputs intelligently.

This type of product allows each part of the area to receive the ideal amount of fertilisers and correctives, considering the characteristics of that point of agricultural production, and not an average dose. This is important because the soil is uneven, and the cultivation areas can have great variation in fertility and chemical needs. With a controller, distribution is done judiciously from georeferenced maps, which are generated based on productivity histories and soil analysis. The results of using these technologies are visible.

In the case of HxGN AgrOn Fertilisation Control, developed by Hexagon's Agriculture division, for example, there are savings of about 20% in the inputs applied and productivity gain of up to 30% in the harvest, since the soil can capture all the nutrients necessary for the development of its crops with quality.

This is because the solution monitors and controls the entire application of fertilisers, reducing failures and fertilisation deviations, avoiding waste of inputs and correctly equalising the nutrients scattered throughout the soil.

The product works with up to three solid inputs and has fixed and variable rate control for any type of culture. Its performance happens with the support of Ti5 or Ti7 displays installed on agricultural machines, where application maps previously defined by managers can be imported.

On the on-board computer screen, the operator can control the fertiliser dosage and check the level of the machine's input tank. Calibration is simple and, during operation, it is possible to view the application traces and monitor how their coverage is in real-time.

In addition, AgrOn Fertilisation Control also allows you to control fertiliser discs, a tool for distributing fertilisers by release. The desired rotation and speed can be configured and monitored easily and quickly. After the end of fertilisation, detailed information of the process, such as a map of the dosages applied per hectare and the area and total dosage, are recorded and made available for consultation.

It is also worth noting that the software has a variable rate application system for two types of implements: the conveyor belt and ones based on a linear electric gravity flow actuator. AgrOn Fertilisation Control also has a module for remote access, capable of facilitating decisions and making technical support more agile.

With the advancement of technologies like this, it is possible to use resources more and more intelligently in the field, ensuring that benefits such as profit and sustainability are possible and contributing to the advancement of an even more efficient new agribusiness.