GreenSeekerTM Variable Rate Applicator

Equipment and Applications

GreenSeekerTM Variable Applicator: Equipment and Applications

• How the GreenSeekerTM works

• NDVI• GreenSeekerTM RT200

& RT500• Corn and other

applications

Sensor-BasedNitrogen Management

Variable RateNozzle System

Directionof Travel

Computer andSensor

Assembly

Decision MakingAnd Agronomic Strategy

Plant

GreenSeekerTM Sensor Light Detection and Filtering

Detection ofReflected

NIR and RED+Sun

Target

NIR and REDModulated

Illumination

Direction

Sensor Function

Lightgeneration

Light signal

Lightdetection

Valve settingsCalculate NDVILookup valve settingApply valve settingSend data to UI

“Sensor”Valves

andNozzles

GREENSEEKERTM Applicator

• Sense and treat each 2 ft by 2 ft area

• Apply one of seven fertilizer rates based on the crops yield potential

• Accomplish this while driving 15 mph

• Operate day or night

• Provide the capability to detect and treat other plant problems

• Record and georeference sensor data for GIS analysis

• Sense and spot spray weeds (current Patchen technology)

Tri-valve Set for Varying Rate• 8 Stepped rates

– OFF to 7x

• Treats 24”x 24” area applying the target rate on 85% of that area

Valve Rate

1x 2x 4x Total

0 0 0 0

1 0 0 1

0 2 0 2

1 2 0 3

0 0 4 4

1 0 4 5

0 2 4 6

1 2 4 7

1x 2x 4x

User Interface/Central Computer

Flow ControllerPower Supply

Pressure Controller

Flow Control Valve

Flow Meter and Pressure Sensor

Wavelength (nm)

Ref

lect

ance

(%

)R

efle

ctan

ce

(%)

0.25

0.5VisibleVisible Near InfraredNear Infrared

450 550 650 750 850 950 1050500 600 700 1000900800

0.00

Plant ReflectancePhotosyntheticPotential

Measure of living plant cell’s ability to reflect infrared light

Normalized Difference Vegetative Index - NDVI

• Calculated from the red and near-infrared bands

• Equivalent to a plant physical examination

• Correlated with:– Plant biomass– Crop yield– Plant nitrogen– Plant chlorophyll– Water stress– Plant diseases– Insect damage

NRich Strip for Determining Benefit of Added Fertilizer

NRich Strip

Field RateSensor data mapped and images vectorized with SST “Toolbox” GIS software

IKONIS Satellite

Image of a Wheat Field

Near Covington,

Oklahoma

NDVI Image of the NRich Strip

Bottom Formerly in Alfalfa

Eroded Hillside

N-Rich 140 lb/acN-Rich 140 lb/ac

Farm Rate 70 lb/acFarm Rate 70 lb/ac

44 bu/ac farm 44 bu/ac farm

Alfalfa Field Yield Alfalfa Field Yield bu/acbu/ac

IKONIS Satellite

Image of a Wheat Field

Near Covington, Oklahoma

NDVI Map

Wheat - Hennessey, Ok

NDVI Map

As Applied Map

0.77 to 0.85 NDVI &

52 to 59 lb/ac N

0.2 to 0. 3 NDVI &

10 to 17 lb/ac

IKONIS False Color Imagery Cassidy, OK P Strip and 2 NRich Strips

NRich Strips

No P Strip

NDVI Cassidy, OK - Wheat P Strip and 2 NRich Strips

No P Strip NRich

Strips

GreenSeeker RT500

GreenSeeker RT200

RT200 and RT 500 Specifications

• Estimated Price $15,000 for 60 ft applicator

• Senses and treats boom width by 20 to 30 feet

• Utilizes existing variable rate sprayer controllers and valves

• Combination Sense and Treat, and Sense, Predict, and Treat strategies

• Reaction time limited by existing controller and valves

• Estimated Price $60,000 for 60 ft applicator

• Senses and treats each 2 ft by 2 ft area

• Uses NTech high speed and resolution controller and valves

• Sense and Treat strategy

• Reaction time < 0.1 s

RT200 RT500

Sensing and Treatment Scale and Strategy

2 ft by 2 ft

30 ft by 60 ft

Sensed Area

Treated Area

Sense, Predict, and Treat StrategySense, Predict, and Treat Strategy

High Resolution Sense and Treat Strategy

RT200 RT500

Sensing and

Treatment Scale

RT200 and RT 500 Specifications

• 6 sensors on 60+ ft boom• Can readily be mated with

existing dry fertilizer and anhydrous ammonia applicators

• Fast installation with minimal modifications

• System intended for fertilizer only

• 30 sensor on 60 ft boom• Existing dry fertilizer

applicators cannot be used with this system

• System custom installed on each manufacturer’s sprayer /boom

• Can detect and spray weeds in fallow/no-till as well as apply fertilizer

• System can be used for other crops and materials

RT200 RT500

•Sense and treat every 2 plants•Sense and treat every 2 plants

Hagie Sprayer - Corn

Weed Spraying with GreenSeeker Applicator

GreenSeekerTM N-Fertilizer Handheld Optical Sensor

• The same active lighting optical sensor used on the variable rate fertilizer applicator

• Optically measures plant biomass, total nitrogen in the crop, and plant stress

• Can sample scan a wheat field (or other crop)

• Data can use to calculated response index for added nitrogen fertilizer

Questions