RESOURCES & INSIGHTS
Stay ahead with the latest in precision agriculture, soil insights, case studies and product updates.
Variable Rate | Case Study
Costs of inputs for broadacre farming have increased substantially over the past 3-4 years. Of these, phosphorus-based starter fertiliser, potassium fertiliser, lime and gypsum are now becoming highly expensive upfront investments. Taking a blanket application approach is fast becoming an uneconomical strategy, with more growers opting to use variable rate (VR) technology to not only reduce their overall spend but also apply their fertiliser and ameliorants more strategically.
Applying less fertiliser does not have to cost yield; in fact, by using correctly analysed electromagnetic and gamma radiometric surveying data in conjunction with targeted soil testing can maintain and even increase crop yields.
“Wheatbelt Farms” | Business Case
Soil mapping in agricultural scenarios has been gaining popularity over the past 12-15 years. The reasons for this are many, understanding soil variability allows farming businesses to evaluate the potential or risks associated with the majority of applications to the land. Soil mapping allows clearer focus on budgeting, workload, time management, and reduces greatly the misappropriation of products and chemistry to the land. This allows for a much greater efficacy of the investment dollar and time management, while mitigating risk.
Soil surveying or soil mapping consists of two sensors which operate in differing ways to each other to effectively map soil types. VRT Solutions have successfully soil surveyed the “NewFarm” block of the “Wheatbelt Farms” in early 2022 which amounted to 523.79ha arable land. Within this block, there are several soil types, which will react to the addition of soil ameliorants in varying ways, not to mention have differing nutrition requirements. The soil survey will assist “Wheatbelt Farms” into the future by managing these soil types into “zones” where a variable rate approach will be undertaken.