Efficiency of precision farming systems application in the implementation of main tillage

Abstract The main direction of crop production development is transformation from traditional agro-technologies to resource- and energy-saving technologies. One of the options of developing resource- and energy-saving technologies is precision farming technologies. Implementation of these technologies will provide optimal results in crop production. However, the use of tractors, agricultural machines and combines in the system of effective precision farming is possible, based on the analysis and substantiated conclusions of modern scientific and technical information. As well as the possibilities for specific natural and production conditions. Thus, the purpose of the study is to increase the efficiency of precision farming systems in the implementation of main tillage. The article presents the results of comparative tests of disc ripper “John Deere” (model 2720) in combination with tractors “Claas” (model AXION 950). The tests were conducted in the process of main tillage in the system of precision agriculture. The fields of “Agricultural Experimental Station “Zarechnoye” LLP, located in Kostanay region, Kostanay oblast, were chosen as a testing ground. During the comparative testing process, the objective was to determine the impact of the automatic driving system “Claas GPS PILOT” on certain indicators, in particular agrotechnical, technical-operational and economic indicators of their functioning. The conditions of comparative tests are typical for farms located in the areas of Northern Kazakhstan producing grain crops. The results of tests demonstrated that the application of automatic driving system “Claas GPS PILOT” on main tillage, disc ripper “John Deere” (model 2720) in combination with a tractor “Claas” (model AXION 950) allows to increase the working width of the machine by 24 cm, increase the shift productivity of the machine by 4.8%, reduce specific fuel consumption by 4.9%, specific energy costs by 2.9-6.1%, total cash outlay by 521.0 tenge/ hectare and get annual savings of total cash outlay of 294.5 thousand tenge.