Precision fertilisation technologies for berry plantation

I. Virro¹,*, M. Arak¹, V. Maksarov² and J. Olt¹

¹Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Technology, 56 Kreutzwaldi Str., EE51006 Tartu, Estonia
²Saint Petersburg Mining University, Department of mechanical engineering, 2, 21st Line, RU199106 St Petersburg, Russia

Abstract:

Increased cost-effectiveness in crop production can be achieved by automating technological operations. This is also the case for berry cultivation in plantations. Starting any berry cultivation automation process should, quite naturally, begin with fertilisation, since this is the first technological operation to be carried out during the vegetation period and is a relatively simple one. The main task here is to apply the correct amount of fertiliser under the canopy of plants. Blueberry plantations that have been established on milled peat fields have plants that have been planted in parallel rows at a pre-designated interval. The fertilisation of plants must take place individually in the first years of their growth, so that each plant is fertilised separately. This form of fertilisation can be referred to as precision fertilisation. The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the levels of technology now available when it comes to precision fertiliser equipment and to introduce the concept of a new precision-automated fertiliser unit, while also justifying the efficiency of using automated equipment. The automated fertiliser unit that is to be designed will be autonomous, will move unmanned through the plantation, and will include the necessary sub-systems for the precision fertilisation of individual plants, such as a plant detection system, a fertilising nozzle, a motion system and, additionally, a service station. On the basis of the results obtained, it can be argued that the use of an automated precision fertilisation unit increases productivity levels by approximately 2.25 times and decreases the specific fertiliser costs by approximately 8.4 times when compared with the use of a portable spot fertiliser.

Key words:

agricultural robotics, berry plantation, precision fertilising, product design and development

Effect of site-based precision fertilisation on yield and oil content of spring oilseed rape seeds

J. Kuht¹ *, T. Tõrra¹, A. Makke¹, J. Kilgi¹ and E. Nugis²

¹Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of
Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, EE51014 Tartu, Estonia;
*Correspondence: jaan.kuht@emu.ee
²Institute of Technology, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 56,
EE51014 Tartu, Estonia

Abstract:

The experiments using two fertilisation methods on the spring oilseed rape in 2012 were carried out in two places – on the Eerika experimental field of the Estonian University of Life Sciences and on the Erumäe producing field of the Pilsu farm. The aim of this work was to investigate site-based precision fertilisation on the spring oilseed rape yield and oil content in oilseed rape seeds. The preceding crop was spring wheat in both fields. Five treatments were used: control treatment (without fertilisers, C), common fertilising system (CvS), fertilisation by site-specific information (SI), fertilisation by site-specific information additionally with mineral nitrogen fertiliser (SI+MF), and site-specific fertilisation additionally with foliar nitrogen fertiliser (SI+FF). The highest seed and oil yield was achieved in treatments fertilised by sitespecific information additionally with foliage nitrogen fertiliser. In the production field, the statistically significant seed and oil yield increase was achieved in treatment. Oil content of spring oilseed rape seeds was higher in treatments C and CvS. In both trials, additional fertilising with foliar nitrogen (including microelements, SI+FF) increased the oil content of oilseed rape seeds. There was a negative correlation between the oil content and seed yield of spring oilseed rape.

Key words: