The future of UK farming lies in identifying which digital technologies hold the most commercial value and how they can be effectively integrated and managed to deliver that value.

Lucy Cottingham, Agrii’s Digital Agronomy Development Manager, introduces a ground breaking farm network focused on answering these forward-looking questions.

The Promise of Digital Innovation

Digital technology is advancing at an incredible pace, presenting countless opportunities for farming. Tools like sensors, satellites, drones, apps, precision technologies, robots, and AI-driven systems are reshaping the way farmers operate. The challenge is to implement these technologies in ways that address day-to-day farming needs effectively.

Objectives of the Digital Technology Farm (DTF) Network

Agrii, in partnership with growers, has established the DTF network to explore how key data-driven technologies can be integrated into agronomic strategies for maximum returns. Key focus areas include:

• Cost Savings: Optimizing inputs for better efficiency.
• Proactive Problem Identification: Spotting agronomic issues earlier than the naked eye.
• Error Reduction: Taking human error out of the equation.
• Enhanced Decision-Making: Providing robust tools for informed choices.
• Operational Efficiency: Reducing time spent managing field operations.
• Field Performance Optimization: Improving performance across all parts of the field.
• Evidence-Based Agronomy: Supporting decisions with solid evidence.
• Environmental Improvements: Offering reliable proof of ecological benefits

Network Structure

The initial DTF network comprises four sites:

1. Revesby Estate, Lincolnshire: Trials include 40ha of winter wheat under near zero-tillage practices.
2. Brotherton Farms, Scotland: Encompasses 13ha of winter oilseed rape (OSR) and 26ha of spring barley using traditional cultivation.
3. Throws Farm, Essex: As a LEAF Innovation Centre, this site focuses on environmental aspects alongside a 10ha spring linseed field.
4. Hayle Farm, Kent: Features an apple orchard as a prime test bed for specific technologies like coddling moth identification traps.
   
   

Each site compares digital technology-driven practices with standard farm practices for a robust evaluation. All DTFs benefit from soil scanning and mapping into management zones, Rhiza satellite imagery, weather data, yield recording, and Contour platform services. Local digital specialists and Agrii’s R&D team provide ongoing support.

Core Digital Technologies Under Evaluation

• PlentySense N Blades:
  • Continuously measure nitrate levels in the soil solution at 10cm, 20cm, and 40cm depths.
  • Aim to optimize fertilization timing and improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).
  • Help prioritize fields and better plan nitrogen sources or inhibitors.
• Skippy Scout:
  • Automatic drone flight software for monitoring crop variability, growth stages, and green area indices (GAIs).
  • Assists in nitrogen application and validates integrated pest management (IPM) decisions.
  • Tracks pod development, ripening, and senescence for spray timing decisions.
• Apps-for-Agri FieldMate Sensors:
  • Measure air/soil temperatures, rainfall, and humidity.
  • Linked to the SmartFarm app, which includes risk models for up to 150 diseases.
• SoilTech Sensors:
  • Provide insights on soil moisture, temperature, and humidity.
  • Complement PlentySense N Blades in monitoring field conditions.
• Bio-Acoustic Sensors: Detect and measure pollinators and bird species to monitor biodiversity and environmental health.
• Coddling Moth Traps: Deployed in the apple orchard to enable automatic identification of pests.
  
  

R&D Progress and Early Insights

• Sensor Durability: Field sensor wiring was found to be vulnerable to rabbit damage early in the trials, leading manufacturers to redesign the system.
• Technology Interoperability: Collaboration between two systems has improved their compatibility, enhancing usability for growers.
• Complementary Systems: Trials revealed opportunities for different technologies to work together to deliver better decision support.

The network is also addressing potential glitches, ensuring technologies are tested rigorously before broad-acre use. This mirrors Agrii’s established approach to testing crop varieties and other inputs.

Future Expansion

The DTF network will expand to include additional locations and crop systems, including high-value vegetables, to ensure diverse geographic and cropping system coverage. This broader scope will enhance the robustness of findings.

Outreach and Reporting

Results from the DTF trials will be shared through regular reports, meetings, and open days beginning this summer. Agrii aims to make findings accessible to growers nationwide, continuing its tradition of supporting practical, evidence-based agronomy.

By combining cutting-edge technology with practical agronomy, Agrii’s Digital Technology Farm Network is paving the way for data-driven, efficient, and environmentally conscious farming practices. The network’s focus on rigorous testing and real-world applications ensures these innovations deliver measurable benefits with confidence.