EDITOR’S PICKS ▶▶▶
Farm robots getting ready for customers
OCEANIA Agerris was launched in April last year, born out of research at the University of Sydney (AUS). It now employs 14 full- time engineers and has been doing a lot of trials on farms. The robot company has been mainly focusing on horticulture. Their first robot is called Digital Farmhand, targeting smaller size farms with vegetables and tree crops. It will be able to help farmers with autonomous non-chemical weed removal, intelligent crop spraying and yield estimation. The second type, Swagbot, is more suitable for larger areas and grazing live- stock. This autonomous robot can identify and eradicate weeds, but it is also able to monitor pastures and crops. It will one day have the ability to herd cattle as well. These robots do not just use GPS-guided platforms. They will have the capacity for machine learning and can do things such as weed detection and re- moval at the same time. According to a spokesman: “The platform and the machine- learning algorithms are ready. We’re now look- ing at the tool systems. Our robots can work up to 24 hours a day and can operate in all types of weather.”
Vertical farming sector struggles with costs
WORLD The global market for vertically farmed pro- duce is forecasted to grow from $ 781 million in 2020 to $ 1.5 billion by 2030, according to a report from market intelligence firm IDTechEx. This confirms that investors are responding en- thusiastically in the USA. Across the Pacific, the industry is already well-established – in Japan there are over 200 vertical farms currently
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More farmers invest in fertiliser effi ciency
NORTH AMERICA More field crop farmers are considering using technologies that improve the efficiency of ni- trogen fertilisers. According to research from Canada’s University of Manitoba, the more ef- fective these are, the better. Such technologies
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 22 May 2020
operating. However, the Japanese market growth is likely to be slow, with growth in North America and China driving the industry. Despite this optimistic picture, the industry is facing challenges. The sector is littered with bankruptcies, as companies struggle with the power costs of maintaining a controlled envi- ronment 24/7, and the difficulties of coordinat- ing the labour-intensive process of running a vertical farm. On the other hand advances in lighting and automation technology are help- ing to shape the future of indoor
growing.Ver- tical farming companies face a difficult deci- sion: choosing between the extremely high start-up costs of a highly automated facility designed to reduce labour costs and improve efficiency, and a cheaper facility with less automation and higher labour costs.
are specifically designed to limit the loss of ni- trogen through leaching, atmospheric expo- sure and soil runoff. Enhanced efficiency fertil- isers are fertilisers treated with one of several longevity-extending products – including for- mulations that help plants absorb nutrients more easily, reduce losses in the environment and alter availability timing. Urea inhibitors alone can deliver a 50% reduction in losses. Controlled-release products use polymer coat- ings that limit the exposure of nutrient to envi- ronmental conditions. Slow-release products (e.g. sulphur-coated urea) perform a similar function and have been around for some time. As with standard fertiliser use, it is necessary to employ best management practices when us- ing them. Timing and placement are critical. For delayed-release products, banding or incorporation after broadcast is crucial.
Dutch contractor off ers autonomous services
EUROPE Dutch Precision agriculture company Smart Agri Technology, founded in 2019, offers cus- tomers a weed-free crop. The company also takes care of cultivation, from sowing to har- vesting, using Robotti robots from Danish manufacturer AgroIntelli. Using a Kverneland Optima seeder, they will be planting a range of crops. Smart Agri Technology is developing a camera that monitors weed pressure and the growth of the crop during cultivation. Other cameras monitor the row. The robots go through the crop with hoes to keep it free of weeds and the tool carriers stay on track with the help of RTK GPS. This season Smart Agri Technology will examine which other activities the robots can perform autonomously. The company is still looking for manufacturers that offer light machines which can be adapted for use with robots.
PHOTO: AGERRIS
PHOTO: PETER ROEK
PHOTO: PHOTO IDTECHEX
PHOTO: KOOS GROENEWOLD PHOTO: CNHI
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