The company DLG (German Agricultural Society) - the organizer of the exhibition AGRITECHNICA 2022 - announced a new award for exhibitors - DLG-Agrifuture Concept Winner, which will be awarded for pioneering achievements and vision of the future in the field of agricultural technology. With this award, DLG highlights its goal to present at the show not only products available on the market today, but also innovative ideas that will pave the way for the global horticulture of the future.
On February 15, 2022, a jury of independent international experts named five winners.
Winners DLG-Agrifuture Concept Winner
- Vision: Controlled row farming – a farming method that helps conserve biodiversity
Amazonen-Werke H. Dreyer SE & Co. KG в cooperation с AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG and Schmotzer Hacktechnik GmbH
The concept of Controlled Row Farming is a new method of arable farming in which each cropping stage is performed in relation to a fixed row, optimizing yields despite reduced use of fertilizers and pesticides. By cultivating crops with a fixed and uniform row spacing of 50 cm (grain in double rows) and including a row offset of 25 cm for a positive crop rotation effect, both yield optimization and maximum farm cost efficiency are achieved. The possibility of introducing companion plantings between the rows of the main crop increases the value of the agricultural ecosystem, for example, by reducing water evaporation and erosion.
- Vision: Spot farming – for a holistic and sustainable crop production system
Joint development: Technical University (TU) Braunschweig; Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute; and the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)
The concept of "spot farming" puts the living and growing conditions of individual crops in the spotlight through in-depth observation by the farmer. An attempt is made to optimize four points: select the most appropriate crops or varieties for the respective site conditions, improve spatial and temporal management practices, increase the effectiveness of agrochemicals, and strengthen the functional structures in the agricultural landscape.
- Concept: Automated fruit picking system
Kubota Germany GmbH with Tevel Aerobatics Technologies
The harvesters use an innovative combination of wired drones and related logistics solutions. Drones are equipped with a wind compensation system that ensures safe and efficient operation in almost all weather conditions. Reaching almost every fruit and harvesting without any damage, the drones detect and sort individual fruits in real time, enabling pre-sorting and selective harvesting. The information is transferred to the logistics system, optimizing this stage of the harvest. Various levels of automation are offered, from a simple "navigation system" for the driver of a tractor transporting containers, to fully autonomous vehicles that place empty containers and collect full ones. The concept can be integrated into existing cleaning operations and workflows. Benefits: Reduce waste and increase yields by 20%.
- Concept: Integrated Demolition Management
Crop Division Bayer AG
The concept of integrated drift management is based on reading the spray drift trend and buffer zones, as well as monitoring the distance indicated on pesticide labels. When a pesticide is poured into a sprayer, the stored information is converted into an application map. At the same time, wind direction and speed are recorded in the field in real time. When needed, spray nozzles are activated to reduce drift, and buffer zones and distance control are automatically maintained. The system records and saves all activities, including weather information.
- H2 - Agrar Project
AGCO Fendt GmbH
In the context of the climate change debate, alternative concepts of mobility are high on the agenda. The H2-Agrar Project aims to identify the potential and prospects for the use of hydrogen in agriculture. Innovative solutions are being developed showing not only that decentralized production and use of hydrogen in agriculture can be economically successful, but also how hydrogen-powered agriculture, with the appropriate hydrogen infrastructure, can be integrated into a common hydrogen supply and “interfacing” system. sectors." In this way, mobility issues can be addressed using hydrogen-powered tractors, and possible hydrogen-powered mobility solutions can be demonstrated and tested. The concept also includes the transfer of local approaches and results to other agricultural areas.