Frans Meerse, a third-generation farmer managing a 32-hectare arable farm in Lelystad, Netherlands, is at the forefront of precision agriculture. His farm, which includes crops like table potatoes, winter wheat, red seed onions, and sugar beet, is relatively small, but Meerse’s approach to farming is anything but conventional. He combines his agricultural work with a role as a team and programme leader at Aeres University of Applied Sciences in Dronten, bringing practical insights into education while maintaining the flexibility to manage his farm.
Meerse’s commitment to modern, efficient machinery is evident in his recent investments, including a Kverneland iXTrack T4 sprayer. This advanced equipment allows for precise, site-specific applications, a practice Meerse is eager to refine. “Through site-specific crop protection, I hope to reduce pesticide usage, cut costs, and increase yields,” he explains. His participation in the National Precision Farming Field Lab (NPPL) this year is a testament to his dedication to improving his farming practices.
The NPPL programme is placing additional focus on site-specific variable fertilisation and crop protection. Meerse, under the guidance of NPPL expert Sophie Wildeboer, is concentrating on site-specific spraying. He already has the necessary GPS technology and a field sprayer suited to this purpose. The sprayer’s nozzles, spaced 25 cm apart, can be individually switched on or off, enabling targeted applications.
Meerse’s experiments with site-specific crop protection have already yielded promising results. He has trialled spot spraying for couch grass in potatoes and is now focusing on grass weeds in onions and sugar beet. “Products for grass control tend to be relatively expensive, so this offers the most cost-saving potential,” he notes. The flexibility of herbicides used against grasses allows for more adaptable application methods.
In addition to spot spraying based on prescription maps, Meerse is also exploring site-specific spraying without maps. This technique involves switching off certain nozzles to reduce crop protection use until the crop canopy closes. “Normally, we spray with 3 nozzles per row, but switching one off still gives sufficient coverage of the potato plant,” he explains. This approach could also reduce insecticide use in sugar beet.
Sophie Wildeboer, a precision farming researcher at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), highlights the simplicity and effectiveness of Meerse’s methods. “Even without prescription maps, by simply switching off certain nozzles, you can make substantial savings on crop protection products,” she says. This demonstrates that precision techniques do not have to be complex or require external parties to be effective.
Meerse’s journey in precision agriculture is a testament to the potential of modern technology in enhancing farming practices. His story offers valuable insights into the practical applications and benefits of site-specific crop protection, paving the way for other farmers to adopt similar techniques. As Meerse continues to refine his methods, he is not only improving his own farm’s efficiency but also contributing to the broader advancement of sustainable agriculture.