Bosch and Basf establish project center for planting and fertilization solutions

Bosch and Basf's xarvio Digital Farming Solutions strengthen their partnership in developing solutions for digital agriculture. The companies founded a project center in Curitiba/PR, which will allow partners to carry out joint research and development activities in a single location. The aim of this collaboration is to develop a smart fertilizer application and seed use system, based on  local needs. “With our innovative solution, farmers can take into account conditions such as field topography, soil quality and precipitation in their future work. This innovation minimizes costs, increases yields and protects the environment” explains Andrew Allen, responsible for the Commercial and Off-Road Vehicles division at Robert Bosch.

Digital solution for crop optimization

The basis of the development provided by Bosch is the Intelligent Planting Solution (IPS) for automatic seeding control, presented to the market in 2018. The basis of the intensified collaboration for xarvio is the Field Manager, available since 2019, which manages nutrients in infestation areas and offers variable application maps for seeds. xarvio Field Manager is a digital solution that helps farmers improve and automate their agricultural production in a sustainable way. With Field Manager, farmers can view the status of their plantations at any time, receive notifications and recommendations individually and by field. “In everyday use, xarvio Field Manager determines exactly which and how many seeds and fertilizers will provide maximum yield while preserving the environment,” explains Carvin Scheel, Product Engineer at BASF Digital Farming. For this purpose, xarvio brings his extensive experience in digital agronomy to the project.
 

Soil sensor allows direct regulation of fertilizers

The Bosch IPS system will develop the necessary components and interfaces, in addition to integrating the entire system for use in planting or seeding machines. The currently available system supports farmers through four functions: based on information collected by sensors and digital maps for variable application, the technology controls the ideal quantity of seeds, their separation and the distance between crops in each row. If soil fertility is variable, IPS automatically regulates the quantity of seeds without the farmer needing to intervene. Furthermore, the system also guarantees an ideal distribution of seeds in the curved topography, adjusting the quantity of seeds for the internal and external furrows in a targeted manner. 

Double seeding is avoided, as the system reliably recognizes previously planted furrows and deactivates the application when passing through them again. The components of the IPS system – the control unit, seed/fertilizer actuators, sensors and PowerBox – are all based on components used in the automotive sector. The control unit, adapted specifically for IPS requirements, regulates the quantity of seeds applied by the dosing units based on sensor data and speed and the satellite navigation system. The market launch of the combined seed and fertilizer dosing system is planned for the coming weeks.