SOIL SENSORS
More farm equipment today is being outfitted with smart
sensors that can read everything from plant health and water
needs in the crop to nitrogen levels in the soil. The sensors
then enable on-the-go application of inputs based on real-
time field conditions.
The newest area of sensor use is in irrigation where the
sensors measure water needs. Sensors help optimize water
use and avoid yield loss, according to Viacheslav Adamchuk,
ag engineer, McGill University.
New optical-sensing technologies for determining crop health
include Trimble’s GreenSeeker, Topcon’s CropSpec, and Ag
Leader’s Opt-Rx. These intelligent systems measure light
reflectance from the crop that translates into nitrogen levels.
Electronic controllers connected to the sensors then signal
application systems to apply the correct amount of nitrogen
the crop needs.
Smart collars
a bit like the wearable devices designed to track human
health and fitness — have been used to monitor cows in
Scotland since 2010. Developed by Glasgow start-up Silent
Herdsman, the collar monitors fertility by tracking activity —
cows move around more when they are fertile — and uses
this to alert farmers to when a cow is ready to mate, sending
a message to his or her laptop or smartphone.
The collars which are now being developed by Israeli dairy-
farm-technology company Afimilk after they acquired Silent
Herdsman last year, also detect early signs of illness by
monitoring the average time each cow spends eating and
ruminating, and warning the farmer via a smartphone if
either declines.
Drone Mapping
SOIL AND FIELD ANALYSIS
Drones can be instrumental at the start of the crop cycle.
They produce precise 3-D maps for early soil analysis, useful
in planning seed planting patterns. After planting, drone-
driven soil analysis provides data for irrigation and nitrogen-
level management.
Using normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) — a
mapping method that identifies whether an area contains live
green vegetation or not — drone surveillance can provide an
early warning of crop stress and crop health issues on farming
properties.
In vitro meat
Also known as cultured meat or tubesteak, it is a flesh
product that has never been part of a complete, living animal.
Several current research projects are growing in vitro meat
experimentally, although no meat has yet been produced for
public consumption.
In-Vitro meat is the (idea of) manufacturing of meat products
through "tissue-engineering" technology. Cultured meat (= in-
vitro meat = clean meat) could have financial, health, animal
welfare and environmental advantages over traditional meat.
The idea: To produce animal meat, but without using an
animal. Starting cells are taken painlessly from live animals,
they are put into a culture media where they start to
proliferate and grow, independently from the animal.
Theoretically, this process would be efficient enough to
supply the global demand for meat. All this would happen
without any genetic manipulation, i.e. without the need to
interfere with the cells’ genetic sequences.
Producing cultured meat for processed meat products, such
as sausages, burgers and nuggets should be comparatively
simple, whereas cultured meat which should be more highly
structured, such as for an in-vitro steak is considerably more
of a challenge. A steak is made of muscle tissue which is
threaded through with extremely long, fine capillaries which
transport blood and nutrients directly to the cells. It is much
more difficult to reproduce such a complex structure than it is
to put together the small balls of cells which grow to larger
balls of cells which in turn become in-vitro chicken nuggets.
Telematics
the branch of information technology that deals with the
long-distance transmission of computerized information.
 a map that shows where all your vehicles are
operating and their fuel levels,
 how much product has been applied or
 how much crop harvested, and even
 if a piece of equipment is ready to break down.
This type of Big Brother look is now possible with telematic
products that allow navigation, prescription application,
location and other data to be transferred easily to and from
farm machinery. These systems help farmers improve
efficiencies on high-priced equipment.
Early this year, Trimble introduced Farm Works Dispatch,
asset tracking software and the new DCM-300 modem.
Together with Farm Works Dispatch, the modem provides
access to real-time kinematic (RTK) corrections from its VRS
Now network and enables wireless transfer of information.
These introductions join new and updated telematics
products by AGCO (AgCommand and AgCommand
Advanced), and John Deere (JDLink Select and JDLink
Ultimate). – David Hest
http://www.farmindustrynews.com/precision-farming/z-technology-changing-agriculture-0
http://www.farmindustrynews.com/stub-95/gallery?slide=11
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v544/n7651_supp/full/544S21a.html?foxtrotcallback=true
https://www.voxcreative.com/sponsored/12106230/six-ways-drones-are-revolutionizing-agriculture
http://www.businessinsider.com/15-emerging-agriculture-technologies-2014-4