Precision technology and successful plant

Optimal production starts with precision maps of soil texture, soil depth, bulk density and plant available water capacity. The chemical maps are used for variable nutrient application.

The choice of crop is determined by natural resources, financial considerations and long-term strategy. The building of organic matter for the improvement of soil physical and chemical properties by means of crop rotation should be considered in order to decrease risk and to ensure long-term sustainability.

The objective of cultivar choice is to limit risk and is based on product information from seed companies and national cultivar trials.

Soil temperature, soil moisture, rainfall and the midsummer drought are the factors which determine which crop/cultivar should be planted when.

Successful value addition to the investment in variable application maps is determined by the planter and the technology which it is equipped with.

The purpose of the planter is to place seed in the soil and to create an environment which is conducive to simultaneous germination, emergence and an almost 100% exposure of all plants to sunlight. This requirement for optimal seed and fertiliser placement is critical for optimal uptake of nutrients, growth and conversion of light and chemical energy to yield.

A planter has one chance only every season. Give yourself the best chance. The old statement of "to measure is to know" is applicable in this respect. Precision Planting has developed technology in terms of which the efficiency of any planter and the financial impact thereof can be determined. It also gives an indication of where the weak link is. The latter should be addressed in order to increase profitability. It is no longer necessary to grope about in the dark or to run huge risks with very expensive inputs.

Know what your planter does per row - clean planting furrow, correct pressure on the soil, sufficient moisture in the planting furrow, soil temperature, population, singulation, spacing, vacuum reading, correct fertiliser placement per row and per zone per product, correct application of insecticide per row and per zone. Why be 80% effective if you can be 99% effective? It has the potential to make the difference between 6 tons and 8 tons.

Ensure that your planter units are tested well in advance to avoid any unnecessary losses. Contact the writers of this article for an analysis and recommendation or your nearest Senwes Equipment branch to take your planter to the next level of performance.