Digitalisation in arable farming

Digital technology is now a fixed part of daily work in the field. Modern technologies not only enable resource-efficient production but also improve work quality and efficiency on the farm.

An important element is the use of section control on the sprayer and the fertiliser spreader. This technology switches sections on and off automatically to avoid overlaps. It saves crop protection products, fertiliser and time – and protects soil and environment.

Modern technology is also used for guidance in the field: older machines are retrofitted with self-built RTK parallel guidance systems with an accuracy of 2–3 cm. Newer machines have fully integrated RTK steering systems. The result is not only clean, straight lines but above all fewer passes, lower diesel consumption and much greater driving comfort.

Fertilisation on the farm is site-specific rather than uniform. Current satellite maps (Sentinel data) are used to record the condition of the crops and are transferred directly to the terminal in the tractor. Based on these, application maps are created that allow precise fertilisation – exactly where it is needed.

Digital technology also plays a central role in soil sampling. Samples are taken at precise locations according to digital maps. This provides a detailed picture of nutrient supply and allows targeted fertilisation and liming.