November 12, 2019
Sustainability

Bosch and BASF expand their cooperation for digital agriculture

November 12, 2019

Bosch and xarvio aim to make the use of pesticides more efficient. [Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch”]
Bosch and xarvio aim to make the use of pesticides more efficient. (Picture: Bosch)

Bosch and xarvio™ Digital Farming Solutions of BASF are further intensifying their successful cooperation in the development of digital solutions for farming. The companies have now established a project center that enables them to undertake their joint research and development activities at the same location.

According to predictions made by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), farmers will have to sustainably generate around 50 percent more yield by 2050 in or-der to feed the global population. [Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch”]
According to predictions made by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), farmers will have to sustainably generate around 50 percent more yield by 2050 in order to feed the global population. (Picture: Bosch)

Since 2016, employees of the two companies have already been working together on the smart spraying project, a technology for precise herbicide application that significantly reduces the total amount of herbicides used. The market launch of Smart Spraying is planned for 2021. Further joint activities are planned.

“Bringing the team members together in a dedicated center of competence pools their expertise and increases the potential for synergies as a result of the direct channels of communication and coordination within the project group,” said Andrew Allen, responsible for the Commercial Vehicles and Off-Road operating unit at Robert Bosch GmbH.

The smart spraying concept by Bosch and xarvio focuses on the precise application of herbicides in the field to control weeds. With the smart spraying solution, Bosch and xarvio provide a smart system that can differentiate a weed from a crop plant and applies herbicides in a targeted manner.

 

Smart Spraying finds, detects and sprays weeds within milliseconds

As the sprayer passes over the field, its on-board cameras record the vegetation over the entire area. A smart spraying management system analyzes the sensor signals online and identifies the presence of a crop plant or weed. The system then controls the sprayer jets and the herbicide is applied as needed. Weed-free areas, on the other hand, remain herbicide-free. The entire procedure – scanning, identification, and application – takes just a few milliseconds and is performed in a single processing step.

With smart spraying herbicides are only used where they are really needed. [Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch”]
With smart spraying herbicides are only used where they are really needed. (Picture: Bosch)

Bosch’s focus in the research and development cooperation is on the camera sensor technology, image processing and pattern recognition, control units, and system connectivity. “In daily practical use in the field, the field sprayer with the smart spraying technology is connected to the xarvio FIELD MANAGER, which uses various parameters to determine precisely which and how much plant protection product the respective crop needs,” explained Tobias Menne, head of BASF Digital Farming. xarvio FIELD MANAGER is a digital solution that helps farmers make agronomic decisions in various areas of their work. The aim is to achieve more efficient and eco-friendly cultivation that ensures optimal use of each section of field. Farmers can at any time view the field status, obtain recommendations for each field, and download a set of maps that indicate the application recommendations for each of the individual field zones.

Initial field trials with prototypes in Europe and in South and North America yielded extremely positive results. “One of the next steps on the road to readying the system for the market is optimization of the sprayer’s resolution to achieve even more precise herbicide application,” said Andrew Allen.

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Birgit Hellmann
Global Sustainability Communications
Last Update November 12, 2019