PHOTO: CICADA INNOVATIONS
PHOTO: CICADA INNOVATIONS
SOIL SENSORS ▶▶▶
Smart planter can deliver farmers a higher yield
C BY RENÉ GROENEVELD
EO and founder David Finlay of Mois- ture Planting Technologies (MPT) ex- plains that there has been a big push towards bigger machines and an in-
crease in horsepower in recent years. “We have seen several instances where there were breakages in machines. We then thought about solutions and started looking at ways to reduce the drag force in the air feeder. Ulti- mately the outcome was that we could moni- tor the soil condition as we were planting. This way the depth did not need to be deeper than was really needed.” He developed a planter that can be used in auto mode, where it can adjust itself to the op- timal seeding depth. It can also be used in manual mode. Sensors control seeding depth and adjust the seeding rate, depending on the soil profile. “We monitor the soil conditions on properties such as moisture, biomass, temper- ature or soil pH”, Mr Finlay explains. The smart planter does not require internet connectivity. After planting data can be extracted, to overlay with other data such as yield maps. It can also be used in conjunction with applications for spraying and fertilising.
Trials with 12 meter machine So far MPT (based in Orange, New South Wales) has built four prototypes on a smaller
Australian company MPT has developed a tine based, tech- enabled broadacre planter that can monitor the conditions of the soil while planting. It then can adjust itself to the optimal seeding depth. The machine could deliver farmers up to 10% more yield.
scale. Currently the company is building a twelve meter air feeder. “For these trials we are looking at two or three different soil types and three different grain types. From canola, which is quite a shallow crop, through to deep crop, such as chickpeas. Eventually there will be con- figurations available in 12, 18 and 24 meters.” MPT has spoken with a large number of farm- ers in different parts of Australia. “There is cer- tainly a great deal of interest,” he says. “They want to use the technology in different ways, depending on their situation. In places like Vic- toria, where the rainfall is a bit more regular, for example, farmers wish to plant above the moisture profile as opposed to in it.”
Leasing an option At the moment MPT is looking to lease the ma- chines through a ‘by the hectare arrangement’ for farmers instead of offering a traditional purchase. “That allows farmers to pay for the use as opposed to pay for a piece of equip- ment that is not always used. We will provide it fully serviced.”
CEO and founder David Finlay of MPT. The first single row test unit.
MPT believes there is a big international mar- ket. “Certainly there is great potential in North America and Central Europe, where there are also drought issues. The machine will be more beneficial in a low rainfall environment.” David says that MPT is now focusing on improving the harvest by 8% to 10%. “If we can get 5% in our trials, we will be happy. But our research indicates that we can achieve an improvement of up to 10%. And obviously we would be pretty ecstatic if we get that.” MPT has quite a few parties interested in the planter. “Bigger companies and research par- ties. CSIRO are looking at an early emergence of crops, which I think our machine can work well with. And some fertiliser companies ex- pect that we can help them to optimise fertil- iser consumption.” The first commercial plant- ers will be available around April 2020, Mr Finlay expects. “We like to think that we can take commercial orders by September or October this year.”
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 24 May 2019 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
