Precision help for production increase

Utilising precision farming technology is the key to raising production efficiently, an Essex grower highlighted during the Essex Farming Conference.

But the basics mattered too, said Andrew Fairs, who farms 1920ha of combinable and alternative crops, such as borage, echium and quinoa at Great Tey. “The most important and valuable asset of our business is our soil,” he said. “Regardless of how much sun or water we have, no plant will thrive if our growing medium is dead.

“An ideal soil will have pore space, both air- and water-filled, and is composed of mineral material, living and dead organic matter. Because of this it has structure.

“Compaction is our greatest enemy so the soil needs to be worked in a timely manner, in good conditions, and with a minimum number of destructive passes to create a good seed-bed that is able to retain enough moisture to support plant growth and development.”

Minimising compaction

Minimising compaction was, perhaps, ultimately best achieved using controlled traffic farming techniques, placing wheelings in the same place year on year, he suggested.

But on his farm the technique wasn’t practical because of the investment in machinery required. Instead he was flexible with his cultivation strategy, using “progressive, non-inversion tillage” with the predominant work being done with tines.

This helped keep frost-shattered soils and the fine crumbs within the seed planting zone, giving good seed to soil contact, and helping to reduce the number of passes needed to create a seed-bed.

Deeper sub-soil tines worked the soil to remove compaction in any damaged areas and help with drainage.

But while the system had improved how his soils were able to support machinery in damper conditions, the kit couldn’t be used in the wet, he admitted.

That meant timing was crucial, and maximising output when conditions were ideal. To help with this, as with many growers, he used guidance systems to steer the tractor, and an operating system to control gear selection and the revs.

“The advantage is it helps keep a constant speed. We know with our kit you need a constant 12km/hour to get a good soil mix and adequate shattering.

“Fuel use is more economic, overlaps are reduced, bringing fuel, wearing part and labour savings, and there is less driver fatigue allowing the operator to work more hours before tiredness sets in.”

GPS reliability

There were disadvantages too – most to do with the reliability of the GPS system. “Don’t assume the guidance system will all work first time; it has taken us three years to get where we are now.”

But perseverance was vital to get the most out of precision farming techniques. “The GPS system is the basis of all precision farming techniques. You must get this working,” he stressed.

If it was working it opened up the possibility of precision applying inputs, such as P&K, nitrogen and seed.

“Most growers are knowledgeable about how to achieve optimum establishment of crops using seed rates matching ground conditions and a set rate for each field. But is this the most efficient way of establishment?

“I can name fields on our farm that back in the ’70s were seven or eight separate fields, and they were separate for a reason: soil type. Today we have the technology to apply our knowledge of soil variability and establishment in a more detailed way.

“It takes a lot of setting up but I believe the benefits will be huge.”

It relied on the capture of data specific to the farm, he explained. First, the variability within fields is analysed doing an electrical conductivity test that identifies changes in soil properties. That needs to be checked by a soil scientist within each soil type block, to ultimately produce a detailed soil map.

“The soil map is then overlaid with altitude, slope, soil depth, and predictions of regional and local establishment variation on those various fields and used with thousand grain weight information to produce a seeding map.”

That should help make plant populations more even across the field coming out of winter, and ultimately improve yields of previously poorer performing areas, he hoped.

Applying fertiliser on a similar grid system had improved the accuracy of P&K applications from 33% based on testing using the standard “W” pattern of walking a field, which could hide anomalies within fields, to 75% when tested using a 100m grid system, he said.

On implementing the system, Mr Fairs said he realised that on one field alone he could have saved £1,500 on his biannual application of P&K after looking at his maps.

Satellite imaging

He also uses SOYL satellite imaging to improve the accuracy of his nitrogen applications. “On-farm comparisons have shown yield increases of 3-7% from variably applying compared with a flat rate application.

“And an increase of £100,000 in my nitrogen bill this year from price changes alone has made me determined to use it more wisely.”

The SOYL system suited his farm, over Yara’s N-Sensor, partly because of its ability to make application maps in the office beforehand, rather than in the field.

Satellite images were taken through the season to produce an infra-red image, he explained. “We can then produce a map showing the leaf area index of the crop, and match this with growth stages, which are being checked by a team on the ground, to truth it just like we do with the soil testing.

“In conjunction with drilling date and variety, we can then make an application map, similar to that used with drilling, so I can target rates within the field. This is done for every application, and I can assess the crop’s response. A thin patch might get more N in the first application, and if it gives no response, it might get less or none in the second.

“It is important to use your data with in-field check.”

The advantages of the system were it allowed the operator to concentrate on application, and not need to be calibrating the system in every field, and that the satellite image took in 100% of the field, rather than a narrower window which the N Sensor used. “I also know how much fertiliser we are going to use before we start, and any in-field anomalies can be investigated beforehand.”

More planning

Disadvantages were it needed more planning, so the crop didn’t change significantly before application, and that up to date satellite images weren’t always available because of cloud cover. “If you’re using liquid fertiliser, then you have to work within the pressure parameters of the nozzle.”

Variably applying pesticides was the next step along this route, he suggested. But it would need the development of direct injection systems for it to become a reality to overcome the limitations currently imposed by tank mixing of products, water volumes and nozzles.

Sprayer technology was, however, helping growers apply products more accurately already, he noted. Auto-steer allowed operators to spray off stale seed-beds using the same tracks as where future tramlines would be, while automatic on-off systems helped promote accurate use of pesticides, increased work rates, reduced driver fatigue and overlap, and increased the application window to even allow spraying at night, he said.

Completing the growing cycle, the combine was “an awesome piece of kit. It is the ultimate demonstration of using technology and knowledge to increase production.”

The latest technology allowed operators to adjust virtually every setting from the seat, cutting downtime. “Combines can be auto-steered to keep the header full, and use cruise control to keep it at full capacity.”

Another new gadget was Cmos, which helped operators adjust combine settings to overcome problems that they were having difficulty solving, he said. “I think we will see more of that type of thing.”

With combines now able to monitor yields, growers could produce yield maps with three colours, he said. “Loss, break-even and profit: you can make yourself a real-time map that shows what parts of the farm are making and breaking you. What grower wouldn’t want that?”

Choosing the technology

Choosing which technology and system to use on your farm was vitally important, Mr Fairs stressed. “There are a lot of systems out there, and they will not all suit your farm. Choose a system that suits you, and it will be a lot easier.”

There were many pitfalls to avoid, he said. First, none of the electronic systems he had bought had done exactly what they had said they would on the box the first time he used them. “Be aware of that and be prepared for downtime in the initial stages.”

Before deciding on which guidance system to invest in, there were several questions to consider, he said. “Are you going to use a telephone mast (VRS) or fixed mast signal? If it is the latter, do you have a neighbour who will rent to you, or is there a network available?

“Does the GPS system you like, read the available signal, and can it be fitted to your tractor as an integrated system?

“Will the system you’ve chosen perform all the tasks on your machines?”

He advised growers to use one system across the farm. “Then all your operators can communicate with each other. I’ve got one lad in charge of the steering systems at home, and it has made it much better. The staff can talk to each other about problems, as they are more likely to do that than ring the rep who sold the system.”