Precision Agriculture. No, it’s not a buzzword, it’s a science.
When we think about precision agriculture, we often think of the GPS steering systems guiding our tractors and machinery. And yes, steering systems are a part of the precision ag cycle, but there’s so much more to it.
Precision ag is the science of making management decisions and improving crop yields using advanced technologies, systems and solutions. It helps to reduce inputs and labour costs while increasing productivity and profitability.
From land preparation to seeding, all the way through to harvest, farmers use many pieces of machinery for their different in-field tasks. So, it’s important to have precision ag hardware and software that allows you to manage your farm inputs, variability, and farm processes and management to get the most out of your crop.
But more than simply steering your tractor, precision agriculture technology can control and guide your implements to ensure the right amount of input is applied in the right place at the right time.
This is where Trimble ISOBUS comes into play.
Why ISOBUS is important?
Trimble’s ISOBUS-compatible equipment allows for better connectivity between the tractor console and implements, and control across your planters, sprayers, spreaders and other equipment, regardless of brand.
With an ISOBUS-compatible fleet, you can quickly connect your vehicle and implement with plug-and-play functionality through Trimble’s Field-IQ ISOBUS control solutions.
Trimble’s ISOBUS solutions can help you to:
- Standardise control settings
- Reduce downtime
- Minimise installation and interface challenges
- Simplify data exchange and machine control
- Manage your flow and application
This provides you full control over your implements and flexibility across your fleet, making your input applications as efficient and productive as possible.
How you can utilise ISOBUS in your applications
Improving planting precision using section control
If you’re looking to improve the efficiency and productivity of your planting operations on your existing equipment, Trimble’s Precision-IQ supports row crop planters and equipment using Trimble’s Field-IQ crop input control system.
Because of its ISOBUS compatible options, the Precision-IQ and Field-IQ systems come together to precisely apply inputs only where needed in their fields, no matter the size or brand of your tractor.
The ISOBUS Field-IQ Crop Input Control System allows you to tailor the system to your implement and planting operations and enables you to effectively manage your:
- Section & rate control
- Population monitoring
- Blockage monitoring
- Advanced wire assignment
Improving spraying application using section control
For greater accuracy in your spraying applications, the Trimble Field-IQ ISOBUS liquid control system provides you with greater control over your inputs.
Trimble’s Field-IQ ISOBUS control solution provides an ISOBUS-compatible option for adding rate and section control solutions to sprayers. This allows you to simplify rate and section control on your implement that is applying liquid inputs.
The easy-to-use system can be used on any of your implements applying liquids and uses existing Trimble Field-IQ install kits. Plus, it’s intuitive configuration and runs on the TMX-2050™ and GFX-750™ display systems, making it easy to set up the implement and begin your in-field operations.
Varying rates in a fertiliser and chemical applications
Trimble Variable Rate Technology (VRT) helps you to accurately manage your inputs to get the most out of your application by accounting for overapplication and underapplication.
VRT helps you to collect and apply information about your operations and direct the automated and variable application of seeds, fertilisers, and chemicals. The VRT sets parameters based on various data gathered from GPS, in-field sensors, and maps of your particular operation.
By removing the guesswork of fertiliser and herbicide applications, VRT allows you to apply more or less applications throughout your field.
VRT manages this through Variable Rate Application (VRA), which adjusts application rates and removes time-consuming tasks, and human error to accurately mitigate your input uses.
If your implements already have factory fit rates and section controllers, you can easily connect them right into a Trimble display using a Trimble Universal Variable Rate (TUVR) or Serial VR, for third-party protocols.
If you have a variety of implement brands, you can connect your equipment through Trimble’s Field-IQ ISOBUS control solutions. Even if the implements lack factory-installed ISOBUS, our team can fit a solution that allows your implements and machines true compatibility.
At Vantage BMS, our goal has always been to ensure that Australian farmers have access to end-to-end workflows by bringing technology to farmers and contractors that improve efficiencies and technologies. And as agricultural technologies improve, the same is true for our precision agriculture expertise.
Incorporating precision agriculture solutions into your operations allows you to reduce the amount of fertiliser, fuel, seeds and water you use in your day-to-day operations, and decreases your expenses while boosting your bottom line.
So, is it time you maximise your output from your input investment? Contact us today.
