Growing in the field

When people talk about growing in the field, they often imagine smooth hectares with perfect plants. But over 12 years of working with Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC, I am convinced that reality is always more complicated than advertising brochures. Especially when it comes to combining traditional methods with intelligent systems.

Why standard approaches don't work

In 2019, we launched a project in the Rostov region with a standard irrigation scheme. Within a month we saw how water simply flows down the slopes without having time to be absorbed. We had to urgently revise the entire watering plan. It turned out that the recommendations for flat terrain are absolutely not suitable for hilly terrain.

I noticed an interesting detail: many agronomists still believe thatgrowing in the fieldrequires minimal technological intervention. But in fact, even the simplest monitoring of soil moisture can prevent the loss of 20-30% of the crop. Although I admit, sometimes we overestimated the technology - in the same project, the humidity sensors showed ideal values, and the plants began to wither. The reason turned out to be trivial - incorrect installation of the sensors.

Now, when designing systems for https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru, we always take into account that technologies must adapt to a specific field, and not vice versa. Somehow we had to completely change the layout of the control valves after analyzing soil samples - the standard configuration was simply not suitable for loam.

Equipment that really works

Over the years of cooperation with Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC, it has developed its own approach to the selection of equipment. For example, systems for integrating water and fertilizers show better results with drip irrigation, but for grain crops I often use sprinklers with the ability to fine-tune.

Frequency automatic systems have proven themselves especially well - they save up to 40% of energy compared with conventional pumps. Although the initial investment seems high, the equipment pays for itself within 2-3 seasons. I remember how a farmer in the Krasnodar region was at first skeptical about such systems, but after the first season he ordered three more sets.

Filtration equipment is a different story. Previously, many customers skimped on filters, which led to constant blockages and breakdowns. Now I strongly recommend installing at least a two-stage water purification system. This is especially important forgrowing in the fieldin regions with hard water.

Real cases and mistakes

In 2021, we implemented a project to create an intelligent agricultural park in the Stavropol Territory. It seemed that everything was taken into account: modern equipment, automation, monitoring system. But they did not take into account the human factor - local specialists were simply afraid to use new technologies.

We had to conduct additional training right in the field, demonstrating each control element in practice. Now this park is successfully operating, but an important conclusion has been drawn: technologies must not only be effective, but also accessible to understanding.

Another example is a project in the Voronezh region, where we installed a remote valve control system. We encountered an unexpected problem: in some areas of the field there was simply no stable connection. We had to install additional repeaters, although this expense was not initially planned.

Features of the design of hydraulic structures

When creating high-quality agricultural fields, many people underestimate the importance of proper hydraulic design. I have learned from my own experience that saving at this stage always backfires.

It is especially difficult to work in regions with differences in altitude. Once in Kabardino-Balkaria it was necessary to completely redo the water distribution project - the initial calculations did not take into account the features of the relief. Now, when developing such projects for Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC, I always do topographic surveys with an accuracy of 10 cm.

An interesting point: sometimes the simplest solutions are more effective than complex systems. For example, in one of the farms in the Rostov region, instead of an expensive drainage system, they helped solve the problem of waterlogging with the help of properly designed ditches and shafts. This saved the customer about 2 million rubles.

Seasonal features and adaptation

Every season brings new challenges. Last year, for example, we encountered an abnormally dry spring in the Central region. Irrigation systems designed for standard conditions could not cope. We had to quickly change watering schedules and reconfigure equipment.

I noticed that many farms still use outdated irrigation standards. Whengrowing in the fieldIt is especially important to take into account current data on evaporation and soil moisture. We at https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru have developed our own calculation algorithms, which we constantly adjust based on monitoring results.

In the winter of 2022, we faced another problem - water filtration equipment failed due to frost. Now we always recommend that clients install systems in heated rooms or use special thermal casings. It seems like a small thing, but it is details like these that determine the reliability of the entire system.

Development prospects

Now I see a trend towards creating comprehensive solutions forgrowing in the field. Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd. is gradually moving from supplying individual equipment to creating full-fledged ecosystems.

I consider the area of ​​precision agriculture using data from satellites and drones to be especially promising. Although I admit that in practice there are still many difficulties with the interpretation of these data. Once they tried to implement a system for automatic analysis of NDVI indexes, but it turned out that without the participation of an experienced agronomist, the system often makes mistakes.

I think in the coming years the main focus will be on creating more flexible and adaptive systems. Technologies should not dictate terms, but help make decisions taking into account many factors - from weather to economic feasibility.