Soil compaction is one of the most harmful forms of physical soil degradation, leading to deterioration and loss of basic soil properties and functions, thereby reducing yields of agricultural crops.
The importance of soil compaction increases with modern agricultural trends: intensification of soil treatments; use of increasingly heavy agricultural and transport machinery; increasing the size of agricultural holdings and fields and worsening crop rotation by reducing the number of agricultural crops.
Robert Salmon , a farmer in the United Kingdom, is convinced that limiting agricultural machinery to a permanent lane significantly reduces damage to the soil.
"Allowing machinery to run unhindered across a field can cause almost the entire area to become crowded, compromising drainage and friability."
Back in 2016, Robert transitioned his 4,800 acres to a 12 meter controlled traffic system where all farm machinery uses the same permanent traffic lane.
Implementing a traffic control system requires precise techniques that are nearly impossible with traditional GPS systems.
RTK technology can provide centimeter-level accuracy, allowing farmers to accurately map their fields and confine vehicles to the same lane consistently. It transmits the correct positioning information to the tractors via radio signal, allowing them to stay in certain tracks while moving. This innovation improves the mechanical composition and productivity of the soil, increasing production with less input.
The most abundant resource for farmers is soil. But large harvesters damage and compact the soil, and overuse of chemicals like nitrogen fertilizers is bad for both the environment and the farmer's bottom line. Robotics and autonomous machines can help solve these problems.
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