In modern agriculture, the use of advanced technologies is playing an increasingly important role in meeting the challenges of climate change, resource conservation and crop protection. In this article, we present two innovative approaches being developed by Agroscope: intelligent camera systems to repel crows and dendrometers to optimize the water supply to trees. Both technologies aim to increase efficiency while offering environmentally friendly solutions.
Intelligent camera systems against crows
The first of the two locations that were tested.
The second of the two locations that were tested.
The visual interface for the user, which can be accessed online. The blue lines correspond to the number of birds detected (y-axis) and the dotted vertical lines show the device’s rejection of birds over time (x-axis).
Crows are a major problem for many farmers, as they quickly become accustomed to common defense measures. Agroscope is therefore working on an intelligent camera system that detects crows in real time and emits targeted acoustic signals to drive them away. This method reduces unnecessary stimuli and increases the effectiveness of the defense. Next year, tests will continue in western Switzerland and at the Smart Technologies test station in the cantons of Thurgau and Schaffhausen.
Dendrometer for demand-based irrigation
At the same time, Agroscope is researching a new type of irrigation system that uses dendrometers to monitor the water dynamics of trees. These sensors record the fluctuations in trunk diameter and enable precise and resource-saving irrigation. Initial results show that up to 30% water can be saved in apple trees without affecting yields. Further research results are expected at the end of the year.
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