Everyday it seems, there’s some new technological gadget or widget that’s going to make our lives easier. Some are a considerable investment, some are not, and in agriculture it’s no exception. On Tuesday, June 19th, NC State’s Tidewater Research & Extension Center near Plymouth will host a Precision Ag Field Day, and Dr. Ron Heiniger says there’s some exciting things this year:
“As usual we will be focusing on brand new things that are just hitting the market or are being tested by growers. One of the focuses is on Nitrogen. One example is the Greenseeker that has been around for about 4 years but practical rigs are just making the market place. We have been testing and want to update growers on where those sensors are. They give growers a good opportunity to adjust nitrogen rates on the go.”
Heiniger says that one of the benefits of this particular field day is that not only have the technologies been tested, they’ll be available for live demonstrations at the Station, and most are considered to be economically viable:
“A lot of the things are now cost effective. It’s a good opportunity for growers to look at the economic value. The example of the Greenseeker, the cost of the unit has come way down and the ability to use fewer sensors has helped. With the value of nitrogen being very high this is very helpful. With variable rate seeding we haven’t had a good methodology to help growers predict what seeding rates should be in different parts of the field. With this new technology they now have that ability.”
Another new technology that will be demonstrated during the field day is GPS control of a spray boom or planter:
“Its called boom control. You can actually shut off each individual planter unit or spray nozzle. It will help to prevent overlap.”
For more information on the field day, check our event page for up-to-date coverage from the Tidewater Research Station near Plymouth, NC. |