The conference “Factors of influence on the formation of an of winter crops yield increasing and primary measures for the care of plants” was in Sumy Agrarian University recently. During the meeting were discussed such issues, as fertilizers for the sowing -2017, the selection of winter wheat varieties for cultivation in the area of Northern forest-steppe belt, monitoring and protection from disease. And of course, one of the top-topics was precision ag.

The conference was started from review of fertilizers for sowing this year, by Natalia Zolotareva, commercial director Interahrostandart. The audience was shocked by her predictions about the cost of resources in 2017. “We need 1 million tons of mineral fertilizers for the sowing. Among them – 700 000 Nitrogen, 185 000- phosphorus, 110 000 – potassium … All farmers have felt a strange situation that happened in December and continues until now. The nitrogen fertilizers prices began to rise catastrophically! The cost of carbamide increases every day. Offer from wholesalers at the border – 10 000 UAH, and it comes for farmers to 11 000 UAH. “

As Natalia Zolotareva said, the reasons of it were: tax policy, technical problems at domestic manufacturers and growing prices in the international market. However, there is no reason to hope for the best.

“It is predicted that the price of carbamide in February will be 11 000. It’s terrible! And the price of urea ammonium nitrate will be 8.5 000, whereas in September it was 5 000 “, she said

OPTIMIZATION OF PRODUCTION – THE TASK №1.

The optimization of production is priority issue for farmers for today. That’s why Eugene Predchenko, agronomist-analyst of AgriLab, told about precision ag.

“We recommend to start growing of any crops from a comprehensive field expertise. This will create conditions for reasonable  yield and allow to avoid unnecessary expense in the future”, said Eugene Predchenko.

The comprehensive field expertise includes soil sampling linked to GPS, agrochemical analysis by 17 indicators, climate analysis at least 10 years (temperatures and rainfall), mapping, determination of potential and critical factors of field and the creation of detailed recommendations for growing different crops. All this will optimize the using of resources and fertilization system. “

THE VARIABLE-RATE TECHNOLOGY IS A FUTURE OF AG

Also analyst told about benefits of variable-rate technology of fertilization. As a prove, he presented the calculations of variable and the uniform rate influence on productivity in various areas of the field.

“Received cost savings and yields changes from the variable-rate technology implementation is differed. The research in the Chernihiv region demonstrated savings of 10 $ / ha from variable-rate nitrogen fertilization, and corn yields increasing – 0.4 t / ha, compared with the control. Generally, each precision farming technology enhances each other, and together they give an unbelievable result”,  said Eugene Predchenko.

Catherine Shmahaylo, agronomist – consultant of the central region of company Dolyna also told about needing to change the outdated approaches to fertilizing.

“The nutritional system is always built on the residual principle – there is a certain amount of money: the first at all- we have bought seeds, at second – the diesel fuel, and at least – fertilizers. And there is a question! What field to fertilize is better – more or less fertile? It is very simple! Let us assume I have wheat on the best and at the worst field, and there are 100 kg of fertilizers. Where to give it? Its seems like we must give it for weaker. But from the standpoint of the economy – it is wrong. We must fertilize the field, where the amount of fertilizers will provide greater economic result. Payback of costs will be different! “, she said

In general, at the conference were a lot of useful information from representatives of Interagrostandart, Du Pont, Basf, Dolyna, Alfa Agro Smart, Agrotech Alliance and scientists from Sumy and Kharkiv agricultural institutes. After the event, the participants concluded that the 2017 year will be difficult to farmers, because the resources are much have risen in price. However, the solutions is always there. One of them – is precision farming, that allow you to achieve maximum yield at minimum cost.