Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 4: Average savings through autosteering systems
Operation
Time saved (hours)
Time saved (%)
Fuel saved
(gallons)
Fuel saved (%)
Tillage
16.9
4.7
217
5.14
Planting
25.5
6.29
116
5.8
Spraying
23.0
6.33
59.9
5.38
Harvesting
10.0
5.67
100
5.00
Average total
75.4
5.75
493
5.33
8.4 CONCLUSIONS
The study was undertaken to estimate the farm energy savings in terms
of fuel and time by using GPS guidance and/or autosteering systems in
farm vehicles in the Upper-Midwest region of the USA. A survey was con-
ducted in the state of North Dakota, and the results indicated that there is
a good adoption of precision agricultural technology in the region. Thirty-
four percent of the respondents used GPS guidance systems, resulting in
savings of 6% of time and 6.32% of fuel. The results also showed that 27%
of farms used autosteering systems and saved 5.75% of time and 5.33%
fuel. Almost 1,870 l (500 gal) of fuel is saved using autosteering systems,
and this is equivalent to savings of approximately US$1,500 per farm.
Based on the perceptions of farmers who have adopted precision agricul-
ture technology in the state of North Dakota, the two technologies inves-
tigated in this research provide a positive return on investment and would
be beneficial to North Dakota's agricultural sector if adopted more widely.
REFERENCES
1.
USDA-NRCS: Conservation practices that save: precision agriculture. 2006. Avail-
able at http://www.usada.gov. Accessed 14 Jul 2012
2.
Pfeiffer DA: Eating fossil fuels. From The Wilderness Publications, Sherman Oaks;
2004.
 
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