In wheat and rapeseed
Location-specific fertilization always yields returns
Scanning wheat and rapeseed with drones and then adjusting the nitrogen fertilization in proportion to the measured biomass always yields money for the farmer. This is apparent from its own research by the French cooperative Ocealia.
The agricultural cooperative Oceania Group, in southwestern France, has a total of 7.200 farmers as members. Three years ago it started a partnership with Airinova to scan crops with drones and then issue fertilization advice. Now that three of the five-year agreement has expired, the cooperative is preparing a summary for the results in wheat and rapeseed.
The conclusions for wheat and rapeseed differ. It is clear that money is saved in both cases. Even when the differences are minimal. With wheat, a positive return is mainly achieved by applying more nitrogen than the standard application. It is the other way around for rapeseed. There, the farmer has to rely on a reduction in fertilization. However, in both cases the condition of the crop and the price of the product are also decisive. A warm winter produces better crops and half a ton more of 125 euros simply yields fewer euros than when wheat yields 150 euros.
For wheat, Airinov scans the plots between growth stage 33 and 39 for dry matter content and nitrogen uptake. A task map for variable nitrogen spreading is then generated. Over the past three years, 10.000 hectares per year were scanned, spread over 1.300 plots and 500 farmers. Incidentally, only 10 percent of Ocealia members have variable rate machines at their disposal. 60 percent do it manually and 30 percent don't do it at all.
In 2016, Airinov's nitrogen advice was on average 13 kilos higher than the standard dose. 53 kilos of nitrogen per hectare compared to 40 kilos. That means 13 euros extra costs. On the other hand, there is an additional yield of 320 kilos; or 6,56 tons per hectare. Growers who fertilized less averaged 6,24 tons/ha and growers who applied more at 6,11 tons/ha. The figures come from 484 plots.
Converted, the 320 kilo is good for 40 euros, with a wheat price of 125 euros per ton in 2016. That is not the same as the scanning and fertilizer costs, 10 euros per hectare. This equates to a positive return of 17 euros/ha. In 2015 the net result was 103 euros and in 2014 85 euros. Then the wheat price was higher and less nitrogen was applied. The average over three years is therefore 69 euros/ha.
The saving is greater with rapeseed. Over three years an average of 107 euros/ha. Airinov scanned 24.000 hectares of rapeseed for Ocealia spread over 2.000 plots. Both at the beginning and at the end of the winter, flights are carried out to map the biomass. This is where an optimal nitrogen advice rolls out. The company averages 163 kilos of nitrogen per year, compared to 197 kilos in the standard advice. An average of 627 kilos was saved on 34 plots, which yields 34 euros.
In addition to the fertilizer savings, an average of 500 kilos more was harvested from one hectare. In 2016, this yielded 152 euros/ha. Together with the savings in fertilizer, this amounts to 171 euros. However, that advantage is not so great every year. In 2015, the benefit was 44 euros. Mainly due to a minimal additional yield and a small saving in nitrogen.
Niels van der Boom
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