Direct Benefits of Applied Precision Farming Techniques:

Precision Agriculture Applications

One farmer’s testimony: “With AgLeader “OnTrac2” system driving the tractor we had more than a 25% increase in productivity and with the automatic application control “Direct Command” we are spending 12% less chemicals.”

Mr. Rodrigo Carranza, owner of “El Sota Farms” located in San Jose de Upala, in Alajuela province in northern Costa Rica says: “I am so happy with the results that I will buy more systems for the rest of machinery”.  Regarding benefits, Mr. Carranza stressed out “We are spending less chemicals, less fuel and less labor to get the same job done”…. “Definitely I will recommend it … and you could bring any other farmer to see it by himself”. The leading company in the region planted over 1,000 hectares of rice, and is the leader in applied technology such as precision land leveling and precision farming.

Mr. Gerardo Juarez, head of farm machinery was also very satisfied and convinced of the advantages of using AgLeader systems for automatic control applications. Among the many advantages found when using AgLeader systems, Mr. Juárez highlights:

• “With the satellite controlled OnTrac2 the operator is less tense; more relaxed, and allows you to monitor more closely the ongoing work of the implement and machine.”
• “At the end of the day you end up less tired, less mistakes in their work, this is a great contrast to the light bar systems from other manufacturers, which require the operator looking down, which increases stress and causes frequent headaches “
• “The work is 100% effective; no time is wasted reviewing or overlapping areas.”
• “For this reason we have achieved increased productivity of a machine equipped with AgLeader systems over 25% compared to other tractors”: “We have sprayed an area of 140 hectares with three similar tractors. The machine equipped with AgLeader sprayed  70 hectares in the same time as the others sprayed 35 hectares each, with 10% less product, mainly due to lack of overlapping”
• “Automatic rate control nozzle sections shut-off  of AgLeader DirectCommand is accurate and very reliable. There are no overlaps, no reapplication in the headlands.
• Correspondingly we can reduce the cost of chemicals in more than 12%.” “With the results achieved with the system AgLeader, I am satisfied and would recommend it to be effective and simple to use”.

In October 2010, Mr. Carranza purchased a full AgLeader “test-system” for application control, composed of the following devices:

• EDGE console for mapping, application and rate control, nozzle shut-off and automatic steering control.
• OnTrac2 automatic electric steering.
• Position correction e-Dif – error of 15 cm
• “DirectCommand”  automatic  rate control
• “AutoSwath” nozzle section control

MF292 tractors • With steel lentil-type iron wheels, equipped with AgLeader control systems; satellite steering wheel, rate and nozzle section control.