A Sunflower crop, planted by a drone, could be the first of its kind in the world
As we have seen the first changes in farming methods with drones. In floods of various processes and experiments, farmers are trying to create an ecosystem that can increase plant growth.
During the study, Roger Woods, a pilot, and a farmer in southern Queensland planted what may be the world’s first drone-grown sunflower crop. The plant, which is in full bloom in Cambooya, was planted in September due to 12 different experiments. He believes drones will be the way of the future. “As far as we know, this is the world’s first sunflower crop grown on a large agricultural aircraft for commercial use,” he said.
The drone disperses the seeds and, later, fertilizes and keeps the plant healthy. What I don’t do is harvest.
Mr. Woods’ drone company usually plants and fertilises crops such as lucerne, wheat, and barley but growing sunflowers is a different or more difficult task. Even his friends and colleagues in the farming community thought that sunflower would not be made.
“Sunflowers need to have the same space to grow properly and to get used to mixing very accurately,” he said. The drone distributes 45,000 seeds per hectare with the aim of causing 30,000 plants to sprout per hectare.
“We may not have found that in many places, so we may reduce that level a bit in the future,” he said.
“I also have ideas on the length, rotation speed, pattern making, and collection we have learned in all 12 tests here.”
Mr. Woods believes the program has a small impact on the world. “Whenever you do not have to drive the earth, you are doing good to the earth: it does not make it crowded, nor does it disturb the soil. Indeed, drones are an intangible way to use resources in the agricultural sector,” he said.
“For smallholder farmers, being able to plant crops by airplane may be a better economic idea than acquiring equipment.”
Farm business manager Pandora Bevan said sunflower fields were open to the public.
“Usually, in private sunflower farms, farmers do not want the community to step on everything for biosecurity reasons. We put that aside here,” he said.
Lots of tourists have come to see the show.
“In the past, we have seen many locals and tourists walk around Toowoomba and Darling Downs area looking at the sunflowers, but they are often planted along highways which means people park in dangerous areas or illegally enter a private farmer’s area. property” said, Ms. Bevan.
I think sunflower tourism will be a big thing in the next few years.
We know that tourists love to take pictures with beautiful sunflowers and opening farms make that possible.
“Combining it with the fact that it was planted with drones is very exciting.”
Mr. Woods said he hoped it would also educate the public on new farming techniques.
“It has been a two-pronged pursuit that people want to be closer and closer to sunflowers, and to educate them about new non-violent farming techniques in the environment than old ones.”
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Originally published at https://www.drolan.com on January 4, 2022.
