Ag Leader Crop Sensors

May 2008 announced worldwide distribution of Holland Scientific (HS) crop sensor Holland Scientific Crop Sensor Commercializing HS crop sensor for world wide production ag market HS handles sales and support of research market

Sensor measures reflectance of 3 light wavebands -Red Edge – correlates to chlorophyll content -Red – not used presently -Near Infrared (NIR) – correlates to plant size Use NDRE for vegetative index

Vary N rate on the go by sensing crop’s need for N. Use crop sensor maps to identify areas of poor crop health to help make follow up scouting and application decisions Uses of crop sensors Potentially vary rate of any agrochemical whose recommended rate changes with crop size or vigor

2008 field testing

Crop sensor passes made $120/ac more than 50 lb/ac flat rate passes

2008 field testing Crop sensor passes made $15/ac more than 50 lb/ac flat rate passes

2008 field testing

$.60 per lb N and $4 per bushel corn Crop sensor rate and farmer’s flat rate alternated across entire field Iowa – Field 1 - $41.00/ac more than flat rate – Field 2 - $24.00/ac more than flat rate – Field 3 - $100.00/ac more than flat rate Missouri – Field 1 - $75.00/ac more than flat rate – Field 2 - $120.00/ac more than flat rate – Field 3 - $15.00/ac more than flat rate Crop sensor vs flat N rate

Using Insight to run crop sensor Testing variable rate application of N in corn on 11 machines – IA, IL, IN, MI, KS, MO, LA – 6 tractor/toolbar machines – 5 self propelled machines 2009 Field testing 4 machines collecting crop sensor maps while they spray

System diagram

Early 2010 – Start selling crop sensors – User interface through Insight display – Prescribe N rate on-the-go while side dressing corn – Mount sensors on post application sprayer to map crop sensor readings to identify poor crop health areas Europe and North American wheat market – Field test variable rate N application 2010

List Pricing $3000 per sensor $1500 per master module (1 per system) Recommend 5 sensors for 80 foot or wider boom Recommend 3 sensors for less than 80 foot swaths

Other comments Do different hybrids affect crop sensor? – Answer: Some, but not enough to be concerned.

Final thoughts Uniform N rates on variable fields “leaves lots of money on the table.” Corn farmers generally don’t trust the sensor. – Must prove sensors are better than farmers current N program – 2 years of good results before they start to trust it Corn farmers perception of sensors after first use – It puts more on shorter corn and less on taller corn – Rate variation seems logical, but they don’t really know if sensor prescribed the right amount – Proof is in the yield and financial return per acre

Final thoughts How accurately does the crop sensor need to prescribe N to corn for it to be more profitable than farmers uniform rate? – Answer (Ag Leader’s opinion): within lbs/ac of economic optimum N rate