Alongside its vineyard-weeding robot family member Ted; Little Oz the research robot; and market garden weeder Oz, Naïo Technologies now has a large-scale vegetable weeding robot hitting farm fields. Guided by RTK GPS, and a set of cameras to ensure it stays between rows, Dino is electrically driven, lighter than a tractor and requires no… Read More
Category: Agritechnica
European farmers can look forward to a new line-up from Kubota — and one that provides automation of some of the more mundane operator duties. The M7002 series tractors succeed M7001, with up to 170 horsepower, a new power shift transmission, improved braking performance, lower fuel consumption and updates to intelligence. With Tractor Implement Management,… Read More
The traditional 3-point hitch assembly shifts most of the implement load on to the rear axle. We counter this with ballast on the front end of the tractor, which is not always precise, but is always added weight (a drag on efficiency!). Fendt looked at the problem in a less conventional way and came up with… Read More
Bayer and Bosch are working together on a three-year research collaboration to develop a precise spraying technology that will minimize herbicide use, while also mitigating against resistance development. The technology, called Smart Spraying, will see camera sensors identifying weeds, and precise herbicide application targeting them on a single pass, within a fraction of a second. According… Read More
Whether driven by a respect for operator time, a desire for simplicity, or a means of drawing down input costs, the agriculture industry has seen a movement towards fewer manned vehicles. Many farmers have moved to no-till and straight-cutting, and some silage operations are now skipping the swather too, with the help of Italian-based agricultural… Read More
Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of plowing land is the bumpy ride around the headlands that follows. That’s where Kuhn’s Vari-Master Smart Plow comes in. The Smart plow offers sectional control through an electro-hydraulic system which automatically raises and lowers individual bodies based on GPS positioning data, creating a straight furrow edge where… Read More
Anyone who has tried to follow directions on a maintenance or repair call via telephone knows how frustrating it can be. Machines are complicated, and, in times of stress, verbal communication isn’t always easy. Amazone’s new SmartService 4.0 is looking to change the way we train and interact with service specialists, as we find out… Read More
Kubota’s fully autonomous tractor is offering Japanese agriculture an innovative solution to the challenges of an aging demographic. “Really we’ve been developing this technology for the local market in view of the fact that in Japan, much of the farming population is aging, and we’re starting to see some labour shortages,” says Kubota’s Mel McGlinchey…. Read More
Claas has extended its track technology from combines and tractors to forage harvesters, with Terra Trac now being trialed on the Jaguar line, with a feature designed to reduce scuffing when turning. The option to use tracks, according to the company, means increased traction, and lower rut formation, complete with an automatic reduction of contact… Read More
Annaburger and Schumacher have joined forces to build and present a universal, mobile biomass chopper. The RS Cutmaster is operated by a standard tractor, and consists of a scraper floor, rotor and two chopping units. It’s built to slice and process material in preparation for fermentation, chopping everything from round bales to horse and cattle manure…. Read More
Developed by John Deere and subsidiary Monosem, the AutoTrac Implement Guidance system unveiled at Agritechnica in Germany this year gives farmers the opportunity to mechanically target weeds in row crops, at high speed. The system involves two StarFire satellite receivers (one on the tractor and one on the implement), as well as an AutoTrac vision… Read More
Sensors and data collection are being used to improve efficiency throughout agriculture, including in cotton production. John Deere showcased its Precision Cotton Harvesting Technology at Agritechnica 2017 on its massive CP690 cotton harvester. The CP690 offers non-stop cotton harvesting technology, and now collects 27 data points for every module of cotton, including on-the-go moisture measurements…. Read More
Just learning how a combine runs can be an overwhelming task, let alone trying to adjust it for optimum grain quality and performance while conditions change throughout a day of harvesting. With the latest changes coming to its Lexion combines, Claas says the machine will do that automatically, as the company has introduced what it… Read More
Grimme’s self-propelled potato harvester line just got a little wider, and bigger, with the introduction of the Ventor 4150. The 4-row, self-propelled, 530HP behemoth was unveiled at Agritechnica 2017 in Germany, where it won a silver innovation medal. It’s the first 4-row potato harvester to be fitted with the company’s “SE system” of conveying, lifting… Read More
The main difference between a regular round baler and the stationary Orkel baler/compactor is, as CEO Jarl Gjonnes explains, Orkel’s has the ability to bale short chopped material. That means the outfit is capable of baling or packaging more than 30 bulk materials — including corn silage, grasses, forage mixes/total mixed rations, crimped grain, manure,… Read More