Crop storage Real-time grain measurement
can sort crops more quickly • Smart sensor in-fi eld technology • Instant feedback on grain quality • Good for farms and environment
F
armers could benefi t from new harvesting technology that will sense grain quality in real time – using smart sensors often found in medical devices. The technology is being developed by a team of agricultural industry partners alongside academic exper- tise from Reading University. It will give farmers instant feedback on the quality of grains such as wheat, bar- ley and oilseed rape. If successful, it will enable grain protein and oil contents to be measured as they are harvested by the combine harvester. Called Constituent Sensing of Small Grains, it is being funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Food.
Robust measurements
The project is being led by professor of crop science John Hammond. As well as providing important informa- tion about the marketing of the grains, the data would enable farmers to cre- ate maps of their fi elds to understand variation in grain quality, he said. Prof Hammond explained: “Based on the wavelengths detected and cali- bration models, it is possible to quickly
The technology is being developed by Reading University and John Deere
and robustly measure many aspects of the grain’s constituents, such as pro- tein or oil content.”
The project is using Near Infrared Spectroscopy to measure the quality of the grain samples being harvest- ed. Analysers work by emitting a spec- trum of near infrared wavelengths at the grain sample and then measures the wavelengths refl ected or transmit- ted through the grain.
Grain stores “This technology has been used for dec- ades on farms and grain stores to check the quality of harvested products, but only on small sub-samples,” said Prof Hammond. “We are working with John Deere, who is already known to offer a robust NIRS sensor for forage harvesters, manure tankers and as a stationary unit, to test and validate this technol- ogy.”
The smart sensors being developed in the project will continuously meas- ure grain as it fl ows through the com- bine harvester providing data on the grain as it is harvested. The team is working on connecting this data with GPS location during harvest.
It is possible to measure many aspects of grain quality
“
Better marketing This will allow fi eld scale maps to be developed showing how the grain qual- ity varies across the fi eld. Prof Ham- mond said data would provide a more accurate measures of grain quality for marketing purposes. Potentially allowing different grain qualities to be separated and sold into different markets in the future. The fi eld scale map can be used to opti- mise production, allowing resources to be focused on unproductive areas of fi elds and/or reduce inputs to more productive areas. John Deere technology expert Thomas Engel said the project could help increase productivity, reduce costs and help reduce the environmental im- pact of agriculture. It would be good for farmers and end users.
“Measuring grain constituents like protein during harvesting on the com- bine is another important puzzle piece of precision farming technology, mov- ing us towards a sustainable produc- tion of high quality grain.”
24 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2021
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