Sophisticated, electronically assisted process engineering in crop farming to increase efficiency and protect the environment
2004
Anken, T. | Duerr, L. | Heusser, J. | Holpp, M. | Irla, E. | Sauter, J. | Spiess, E.(Agroscope FAT Taenikon, Eidgenoessische Forschungsanstalt fuer Agrarwirtschaft und Landtechnik, Ettenhausen (Switzerland))
Agroscope FAT Taenikon is involved in improving work quality and environmental soundness of technical processes used in crop farming. In forage growing, round bale technology has been one of the major innovations of recent decades. As with any innovation, there are issues concerning its benefits and environmental impact. In the case of round bale silage, for example, it has been shown that if the technology is used correctly, there is no risk of silage effluent escaping to pollute the environment. With regard to nitrate leaching into the ground water, research has revealed that in comparison to tilling the soil with the plough, no till cannot on its own reduce these undesired losses. In the area of weed control and its application technology, the development of an under-leaf spraying method for potatoes and dwarf beans has allowed product quantities to be reduced while at the same time increasing effectiveness. Electronics represents a key technology for the future of agriculture. Process control in crop farming on the basis of measuring data is still in its infancy and the possibilities are far from being exhausted. The development of an automatic individual rootstock control system for dock is one example of what can be done.
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