Crop cultivation method for reducing environmental impact and production costs

Abstract

The invention relates to a crop cultivation method for reducing environmental impact and production costs. The method according to the invention is characterised by carrying out the following steps: - seedbed formation and application of bacterial fertilizer prior to sowing, - sowing and spraying chemical fertilizer in one session, - observation-based targeted weed control and / or fungicide treatment, - top dressing according to the phenological demands of the crops, - harvesting, - follow-up operations.

Description

[0001] CROP CULTIVATION METHOD FOR REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND PRODUCTION COSTS

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The invention relates to a crop cultivation method for reducing environmental impact and production costs. art

[0004] Currently applied conventional crop cultivation systems are based on industrial -type agriculture, and make use of generic protocols and machine parks.

[0005] Crop cultivation methods included in the prior art are based on a one-sided, one-time application of nitrogen fertilizer, which increases nitrate contamination in soils and water; the application of chemical fertilizer in itself causes great damage to soil biology (Crawford 2010, FAO 2014).

[0006] Another great disadvantage of conventional crop cultivation methods is the lack of observation / monitoring, i.e., as a result of utilising generic processes weed control agents and / or fungicides are sprayed over the entire area of a cultivated field, even in case the focus of the weed or fungal infection is a smaller region, which can only be detected by observation / monitoring. This also causes further damage to soil biology.

[0007] Another disadvantage of the conventional generic crop cultivation methods is that they only focus on increasing crop yield, i.e., the sustainability-related aspects of agriculture are disregarded and lost sight of.

[0008] The objective of the present invention is to provide a crop cultivation method that eliminates the drawbacks of conventional generic methods while also considering environmental impact, improves soil biology, and at the same time reduces production cost.

[0009] The present crop cultivation method is based on the recognition that, by splitting the utilised fertilizer into multiple batches, and applying the fertilizer not only to the soil but - taking into account the phenological demands of the crops - directly to the crop foliage makes for more favourable absorption and at the same time the nitrate load of the soil can also be reduced.

[0010] Furthermore, by exclusively applying the weed control, fungicide, and insecticide agents to the infected areas in a direct manner based on observation and making use of in-field paths formed between the cultivated areas, it is possible to reduce the applied quantities, and thus the costs, of weed control, fungicide, and insecticide agents.

[0011] Modes for carrying out the invention

[0012] The inventive objective is fulfilled by providing a crop cultivation method that comprises the following steps:

[0013] - seedbed formation and application of bacterial fertilizer prior to sowing,

[0014] - sowing and spraying chemical fertilizer in one session,

[0015] - observation-based targeted weed control and / or fungicide and / or insecticide treatment,

[0016] - top dressing according to the phenological demands of the crops,

[0017] - harvesting, chopping of residual plant parts

[0018] - follow-up operations.

[0019] In a preferred mode of carrying out the crop cultivation method according to the invention, depending on crops type, cultivator treatment is also carried out between weed control treatment and top dressing.

[0020] In another preferred mode of carrying out the crop cultivation method according to the invention, observation before the application of weed control agent and / or fungicide is performed utilising drones and comprises spectral examination of the crops and, based on the obtained results, performing weed control treatment and / or applying fungicide utilising a self- propelled sprayer.

[0021] In a further preferred mode of carrying out the crop cultivation method according to the invention, seedbed formation prior to sowing is performed by simultaneously forming in-field paths and increasing the number of plants, and the operations carried out after the sprouting of the crops - weed control treatment, top dressing, etc. - are performed utilising equipment progressing along the in-field paths.

[0022] In a further preferred mode of carrying out the crop cultivation method according to the invention, top dressing is performed utilizing nitrogen foliar fertilizer applied to the foliage of the crops.

[0023] In another expedient mode of carrying out the crop cultivation method according to the invention, the follow-up operations after harvesting are performed by chopping the plant stems and by sowing cover crops. The crop cultivation method according to the invention will be described in relation to the two most widely cultivated field crops, wheat, and corn, by comparing a conventional crop cultivation method and the method according to the invention, with the help of the tables included below.

[0024] Note: by “observation” visual observation is meant, which can be ground observation or aerial observation, the latter being preferably carried out applying drones.

[0025] Table 2 - CORN The method according to the invention is based on controlling and performing observation-based production processes. In addition to the crop cultures set forth in the tables, it can be applied in the case of any other field crop cultures.

[0026] Effectively performing the cultivation operations of the method according to the invention is also enabled by forming in-field paths. The width of the paths is a few times the row width, corresponding to the wheel track width of the applied machine equipment.

[0027] Due to forming such in-field paths the missing plants are replaced with plants distributed over the area sown.

[0028] It should be noted that forming such in-field paths did not cause a crop yield reduction, but greatly facilitated performing both production and observation operations as well as performing individual cultivation operations - fertilizer application, weed control, etc.

[0029] The crop cultivation method according to the invention has the following advantages:

[0030] - it has a wide range of application,

[0031] - it provides a basis for precision agriculture,

[0032] - it enables a reduction of costs, such as equipment and fertilizer costs, etc.,

[0033] - it can be applied in any field,

[0034] - sustainability,

[0035] - by applying bacterial fertilizer instead of introducing nitrogen into the soil, soil biology can be greatly improved,

[0036] - observation-based application of weed control agents and fungicides reduces the required amounts of these agents, also reducing costs.

Claims

Claims1. Crop cultivation method for reducing environmental impact and production costs, the method comprising the steps of:- seedbed formation and application of bacterial fertilizer prior to sowing,- sowing and spraying chemical fertilizer in one session,- observation-based targeted weed control and / or fungicide treatment- top dressing according to the phenological demands of the crops,- harvesting- follow-up operations.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that, depending on crops type, cultivator treatment is also carried out between weed control treatment and top dressing.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the observation before the application of weed control agent and / or fungicide is performed utilising drones and comprises spectral examination of the crops and, based on the obtained results, performing weed control treatment and / or applying fungicide utilising a self-propelled sprayer.

4. The method according to any of claims 1-3, characterised in that the seedbed formation prior to sowing is performed by simultaneously forming in-field paths and increasing the number of plants.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterised in that the operations carried out after sprouting of the crops - weed control treatment, top dressing, etc. - are performed utilising equipment progressing along the in-field paths.

6. The method according to any of claims 1-5, characterised in that top dressing is performed utilizing nitrogen foliar fertilizer applied to the foliage of the crops.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterised in that the follow-up operations after harvesting are performed by chopping the plant stems, and if required, by baling and by sowing cover crops.

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