Agritechnica 2017
World’s largest agriculture technology ( AgTech ) trade fair- Agritechnica, was held from 12th to 18th November 2017. Agritechnica is a platform for companies in area of agriculture to showcase their product and research to the world. Organized every alternate year, Agritechnica saw a huge response with more than 2,803 exhibitors from 53 countries and 450,000 visitors from around the globe attending the event.
This year’s theme was ‘Green Future – Smart Technology’ where companies presented their products and tried to bridge the gap between orthodox and modern day farming. Based on the visitor survey organized by Wissler & Partner Trade Fair Marketing, from Basel, showed more than two-thirds of the surveyed farmers, contractors and machinery rings were positive about replacing or expanding their current products with the better ones. Furthermore, with approximately 700 companies presenting component solutions in area of network connectivity proves that the world is heading to precision farming and technologically fenced farms. To appreciate and encourage Innovation, Agritechnica presents Gold and Silver awards. We give you a glimpse of ten such products from this year’s winner.
1. Kemper’s –The Stalkbuster
In a corn cultivating farmland, corn borer a type of worm lays eggs beneath the plant. It develops and eats down the inside of stem of a corn plant. This causes a yearly damage of food, which could have reached to 60 million people. To overcome this problem without using insecticides or genetically modified corn, Kemper developed a machine that could bust the stalk with more efficiency and environmentally friendly.
Kemper’s Stalkbuster is joined into the base frame of the rotary crop handler. It consists of a swinging gear box which allows adjusting the ground clearance for every single row. The black fail is manufactured from material with high resistance to wear for a longer service life. The stumble is very impressive in smashing the stubble into small pieces, thereby destroying the habitat for the corn borer.
Based on the data available in Kemper’s website, around 84€ per hectare is saved compared to the current solutions in areas affected by the corn borer. No doubt that this environmentally and financially beneficial technology deserved the Gold Innovation Award at the Agritechnica 2017.
2. CEMOS Auto Threshing by CLAAS
From producing straw binders in 1913 to developing automatic threshing systems in 2017, CLAAS has truly been a model of change in agriculture. In Agritechnica, ‘CEMOS Auto threshing technology, by CLAAS’ was presented with Gold Innovation Award. ‘CEMOS Auto threshing’ is one of the unit under the ‘CEMOS Automatic system’.
The new automatic system is dynamic and continually regulates the concave distance as well as the threshing drum speed of tangential threshers for optimized performance. This system interacts with other systems such as Cruise Pilot, Auto separation and auto cleaning.
3. AXION 900 TERRA TRAC
It is the first fully suspended machine half-track tractor. This silver Innovation award winner tractor features a spring loaded TERRA TRAC drive.
This modern day drive allows maximum ground contact and is efficient on and off the field, with speeds up to 25 miles per hour.
4. SCDI-Smart Crop Damage Identification System
It is an efficient system developed by Agrocom for estimating damage to crops due to wildlife, weather or any other events. Silver Innovation award winner at Agritechnica 2017.
The system uses photography and LiDAR data from drones and automatically compilesand provides information for the damaged area.
5.John Deere’s new EZ Ballast Wheel System
The conventional tractors are ballasted by attaching weights in front linkage and on rear axle. However, the rear axle is ballasted with weights of up to 1000 Kg, which are difficult to attach and remove, consuming more time and dangerous too. But, with John Deere’s EZ Ballast Wheel system, there is a flexible weight distribution on all wheels for better traction.
Moreover, this system also allows operator to quickly change the front and rear wheel weights thereby redefining flexible ballasting in agriculture. This modern innovation grabbed a silver Award at Agritechnica 2017.
6.John Deere’s AutoTrac Implement guidance
With a silver Innovation award in Agritechnica, AutoTrac by John Deere is a remarkable product that combine camera with a GPS for steering both the tractor and row-crop cultivator at high speed (up to 16 Kmph) and high output weed control.
Read more about driver-less technology or visit official website of the company.
7. AGCO/Fendt e100 Vario
The Fendt e100 Vario is the first battery operated tractor that can operate for a full working day on one full recharge only. It is powered by a 650 V lithium-ion battery and can operate for up to 5 hours with kW power output.
Also, the battery can be recharged up to 80 % in just 40 minutes. Further,using an electric tractor decreases the CO2 emissions and it is energy efficient, quiet and requires low maintenance.
8. FARMDOK
Farmdok is software that can be used for operation related to farming such as: Plant protection, warehouse management, fertilization, works planning, cost accounting and evaluation. It automatically determines work and travel times and the processed area and helps in easy legal documentation for obtaining quality labels.
This smartphone application makes life easy for people on field and so this innovation was recognized at Agritechnica with a silver award.
9. MARS
MARS- Mobile Agricultural robot swarms are focused on developing and using small robots for multiple farming practices. The robots will focus on the seeding process and will be much lighter in weight compared to conventional farming equipment. Furthermore, MARS would use control algorithms, optimized processing and GPS- real time kinematic technology for its operation.
Moreover, This use of technology would reduce the on-board sensors and hence would make the robot cost effective. This marvel of swarm robots was awarded silver innovation medal at Agritechnica 2017.
10. IDEAL Harvester
It is the only high capacity combine that is under 3.3m width. It has AutoDock™ feature which enables safety and reduces operator’s effort by automatic header identification and retrieval.
IDEALharvest™ regulates the machine motor, sieve arrangements and fan speed for better efficiency and optimum machine performance. IDEAL harvesters won the Silver Award for innovation at Agritechnica.