Camera-controlled hoeing in seed onions is technically possible. The machines and controls are ready. Profit is still to be made in suspension and blade shape.
That is the conclusion of Christoffel den Herder of Ceres Horti Advice. In mid-June he demonstrated four different camera-controlled hoeing machines in Meeden (GR) together with the northern test farms of SPNA.
In general, Den Herder saw that all cameras saw and were able to follow the lines of the crop well. The advantage of the machine that also sent on GPS (Raven) is that it did not deviate from the line even in dense weed patches.
In the four machines demonstrated, the camera-crop line combination and the associated positioning of the hoe beam are in order. According to Den Herder, after or below that, the biggest differences start. With more or less play on the parallelogram, for example. Or with the suspension of the hoe. “Holes on a fixed tine are the most accurate.” Hoes with a vibrating tooth attachment were less stable on the hard clay soil.
Due to the hard ground, the hoes on a vibrating tine also ran more on the tip, so that the hoeing effect of the wings was not expressed. “By walking on the point, the elements also made trenches in the ground. During a subsequent operation, the hoe searches for those gullies again, making precise steering and working more difficult.”
Control in order
De Herder therefore sees that the machine builders who participated in the demo have their control onions in order. “It’s the details that make the difference. Certainly on a hard ground like the one we demonstrated in.” Then not only the way of suspension plays a role, but also, for example, the blade shape, width and angle.
In order to conduct further research, Ceres Horti Advice will conduct a trial in Flevoland this autumn in a simulated seed bed, with green manure. “We will also lay curves in it to test the camera tracking. We will also look more at work speed.”
Ebelsheerd
An IC Light Steketee, Einböck Row-Guard, Raven camera-GPS combination and a Garford took part in the demonstration in Meeden. The results of this field trial were announced this week at the open day of SPNA Ebelsheerd.
