Tobias explains John Deere's Active Implement Guidance system, which uses mechanical weed control to reduce labor and chemical use on high-value crops. The technology automatically steers implements to cut costs and boost efficiency in precision agriculture.
Mechanical weed control is a major trend in modern agriculture and for good reasons. For example, for corn, where it's important to quickly and accurately remove weeds in the rows. But the EU's Green Deal, which calls for massive reductions in crop protection chemicals, also presents us with challenges in the area of high value crops. And that's what I want to talk about with Tobias today. Tobias, you have a vegetable farm at home. What are the biggest challenges in high value crops?
The goal here is to work very precisely. However, high value crops are often very difficult little plants. Often the implement doesn't follow the tractor smoothly. For example, it's often somewhat redirected by the soil. So I either end up damaging, destroying the valuable plants when hoeing, or. Or I have to leave a larger safety distance, which then results in much more manual labor. There are also special requirements for planting lettuce. You have to drive very slowly at around 100 or 200 meters per hour. But you still want to be highly precise here.
Now there are various technologies. Now we have the shifting frame. Can you explain how it works?
Yes. So, with John Deere's active implement guidance system, the receiver sits on top of it and the shifting frame can shift almost any implement from left to right, keeping it optimally on course. We can attach the system to almost any tractor, like this one with the 6M. The whole thing is operated via the electric rear control units, but it could also be mounted on the old 2850.
So, Tobias, you have the integrated active implement guidance at home. Can you show us on this 6R?
Of course, this is sort of a shift frame, but without a shift frame. There is a special mounted cylinder that guides the draft link, keeping the implement on course.
What are the benefits of this integrated solution?
With the implement we can get closer to the tractor. We eliminate the weight of a shifting frame and save on many expenses.
Speaking of costs, do we have to make a larger investment?
No, this is within the shifting framework. We can use many of the existing components, especially if the tractor is equipped with autotrack and already runs with rtk. We can use the existing display. Here. We need a receiver on the implement, but the free SF1 signal is also sufficient. The two receivers share the RTK signal from the tractor. And you can use the components not only for sowing or hoeing, as shown here, but you can also actively control the variable cutting width of a plough.
With such a precisely controlled hoeing machine, it's not only possible to reduce manual labour, but also to significantly decrease the use of crop protection, chemicals now that's what I call a smart solution.
