Sowing under cover, seedlings drop by drone

This involves dropping a seed compound directly into an existing crop without tilling the soil upstream, even before harvest.

Consequences of Long intercultural period

between the corn harvest and the new spring seedlings:
  • Soil erosion
  • The soil loses its activity biological
  • Need for treatment to provide nutrients
  • Tillage with ploughing, which is important
1
Corn sowing
2
Corn harvest
3
Long beat period
4
Soil dries out
5
Corn sowing

The advantages of drone dropping
under cover

  • Saving time and money (not using the tractor)
  • Improves soil structure, infiltration and water retention capacity
  • Allows the soil to remain alive
  • Nourishes the soil with organic matter and nitrogenous and avoids the need for phytosanitary measures
  • Reduces nitrogen requirements of the next crop = reduces the cost of mineral fertilization on the next crop
  • Breaks disease and pest cycles in monoculture plots
  • Limits weeding during intercultural activities

The use of the drone allows seed spreading while the corn is still standing.

1
Corn is planted
2
Sow a mixture of seeds
3
Corn harvest
4
The plan cover grows
5
Maintains the soil alive covered limiting erosion
6
Crushed plant cover with rest of corn stalk, then leave it to decompose on the surface
7
Reserves directly on top

Improved performance of a drone spreading

10 Kg per hectare
one hectare per flight
6 to 8 min per hectare

The result of the sowing under cover carried out by drones

2 years of conclusive tests
Two years of testing with the Vendée Chamber of Agriculture have made it possible to refine our technical solution. During these two years, troughout our various tests, we studied the best period of seed dropping for increased efficiency. We have also refined the seed mixture used to ensure a dense cover with a high germination power, applying in particular an anti-slug to preserve a plant cover over the whole interculture. We have also adjusted our drones and the dropping solution to suit this specific treatment.