In agriculture, the focus more and more is on efficiency – not only for economic but also for ecological reasons. The objective is to use resources as effectively as possible and at the same time resource-efficiently. In this context, the term "Precision Farming" is on everyone's lips.
Precision Farming – also known as precision agriculture – describes the use of digital technologies for the site-adapted and targeted management of farmland. This data-based method uses GPS, sensors, digital maps, geographic information systems (GIS), and modern analysis and control technologies to systematically capture heterogeneity within a field.
Instead of regarding the field as an even area, it is divided into zones with different characteristics such as:
On this basis, customised measures for site-specific cultivation can be implemented for each zone.
On his farm, Torsten Müller demonstrates that site-specific farming is not anymore a vision of the future and that efficiency and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
He tries to combine the arable farming part of his farm with the main crops sugar beets, grain, and corn as effectively as possible with his other branch, turkey keeping. He mainly covers his phosphorus and potassium requirements for arable farming with farm fertiliser generated from animal husbandry. "Our objective is to include the available resources in a sensible way and to use them efficiently." Therefore, he has taken a broader approach, and for the past two years, Torsten has been using liquid nitrogen fertilisation combined with a targeted, site-specific application.
“Two years ago, when we purchased a new crop care sprayer, we deliberately chose the Leeb LT because it allows us to apply nitrogen precisely where it is needed.”
Application maps provide the basis for site-specific application. "For this purpose, we use harvest maps. They tell us what was harvested in which areas of the different fields over the past five years." This yield data is then combined with vegetation data provided by satellites. A software then creates application maps that show exactly where and how much fertiliser, for example, should be applied. These maps can be transmitted directly to the tractor's onboard technology which controls application automatically and precisely.
"Of course, the technology also involves effort—the preparation, the creation of application maps, the familiarization with the systems." But for Torsten, one thing is clear: "You have to want to do it. But when you see how smoothly and efficiently everything works, it's really fun."
With the Leeb LT, he covers around 3,000 hectares each year – both on his own land and for contract work. In the diverse fields he encounters during his contract work, the active boom control system BoomControl Pro ensures precise adjustment, even in hilly terrain. He is certain: "If I were to invest again, I would make the same decision. The technology behind it works smoothly, and the service is impeccable."
