Custom Category: Agricultural Machinery Knowledge
Variable Rate Technology (VRT) and Intelligent Agricultural Machinery
Variable Rate Technology, or VRT, is an advanced agricultural technique that integrates computers and DGPS systems into farming equipment. This allows the machinery to automatically adjust the application rate of various inputs—such as fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, or irrigation water—based on the specific location within a field. VRT can be applied to both solid granular materials and liquid substances, including mixtures of more than ten different chemicals. The system typically includes a mobile implement, a controller for adjusting the flow rate, a positioning system, and a map that outlines the ideal application rates for each area of the farmland. In traditional setups, operators manually adjust input rates using dashboard controls. However, with integrated GPS and GIS tools, these adjustments can now be made automatically as the machine moves through the field.
Intelligent Agricultural Machinery
The goal of "precision agriculture" is to optimize field management, reduce costs, and boost productivity. To support this, modern agricultural machinery is equipped with technologies like GPS and GIS. These include combine harvesters with yield monitoring systems, seeders that follow prescription maps, fertilizer applicators that control nutrient levels, sprayers that regulate pesticide doses, and irrigation systems that manage water distribution. These machines are designed to operate based on real-time data, improving efficiency and sustainability in farming practices.
1. Combine Harvester
A notable example is the Massey Ferguson MF40 combine harvester used in the UK. It features a DGPS system with dynamic accuracy better than 5 meters. Its grain flow sensor uses gamma-ray technology, achieving a measurement accuracy of 0.5%. The software system, called Field-Star, manages data, while the DataVision II monitoring system tracks operations. An AgGPS132 navigation option helps in precise field navigation, producing detailed yield distribution maps during harvesting.
2. Variable Fertilizer Application
VRT enables targeted application of fertilizers based on field requirements. Farmers pre-program the required fertilizer ratios and application rates for each plot. As the machine moves, it uses GPS to determine its current location and adjusts the fertilizer output accordingly, ensuring optimal nutrient distribution across the field.
3. Variable Sprayer
With the help of prescription maps and DGPS, variable-rate sprayers adjust both the spray volume and droplet size. For instance, when applying pesticides, a monitor in the tractor cab displays the prescription map and the machine's position. The system automatically controls the sprayer to apply the correct amount of pesticide, ensuring precision and reducing waste.
4. Variable Irrigation Machine
These machines use microprocessor-based control systems to manage water distribution. They can adjust spray flow dynamically, accommodating varying soil types, depths, and terrain conditions. This ensures that each part of the field receives the appropriate amount of water, enhancing crop growth and resource efficiency.
5. Variable Seeder
Variable seeders adapt to different soil conditions and fertility levels by adjusting seeding rates and depth in real time. This helps achieve uniform and healthy plant growth across the entire field, maximizing yield potential.
In summary, intelligent agricultural machinery is user-friendly, capable of identifying attached tractors, and automatically activating stored procedures and data. It adjusts speed and transport requirements based on environmental and economic factors, such as fertilizer and pesticide usage. Users can manually adjust settings, with each button allowing a 10% change. The system provides clear text and graphical displays, making it easy to understand. Key monitored metrics include input quantity, working area, distance traveled, operating times, productivity, and power output. These features make smart farming equipment a powerful tool for modern agriculture.
Precision Agriculture System Integration
System integration is a critical component of precision agriculture, aiming to coordinate and optimize all parts of the system. It involves combining hardware and software components to create a seamless operation. The process is divided into two main steps: first, integrating the computer control system with the "intelligent agricultural machinery system," and then achieving full system synchronization. The computer control system includes GPS, field information collection, geographic information systems (GIS), and expert crop management systems. The second step focuses on matching suitable machinery for planting, spraying, irrigation, and harvesting crops like wheat and corn, optimizing performance and cost-effectiveness. Finally, the integration ensures that data from sensors, GPS, and GIS work together to guide real-time operations according to prescription maps, enhancing overall farm efficiency and sustainability.
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