Wednesday 20 May 2015

The farm of 2030 – recap of the 1980 vision, 2015 updated vision

1. John Matthews’ 1980 Farm of 2030, Dan Bloomer, LandWISE
2. Robotics & intelligent systems to improve land & labour productivity, Robert Fitch, University of Sydney

Sensing, vision systems and quality

1. Real time machine vision for crop sensing, Cheryl McCarthy, University of Southern Queensland
2. Hyperspectral sensing to assess pasture quality, Ian Yule, Massey University
3. Instrumentation for crop quality measurement, Peter Schaare, Plant and Food BioEngineering
4. Mapping crop development to predict yield & fertiliser need, Dan Bloomer, LandWISE

Intelligent agri-systems, networking and communication

1. Intelligent Agri-Systems: robots, data and decisions, Tristan Perez, Queensland University of Technology
2. Automated Grape Vine Pruning: decisions and control, Tom Botterill, University of Canterbury
3. Robotic pasture sensing to identify and treat urine patches, Geoff Bates, Pastoral Robotics
4. Technology Transfer to the Primary Sector, B.MacDonald M.Burgess, University of Auckland

Design-a-bot challenge

1. The Design-a-Bot challenge, Dan Bloomer, LandWISE
2. Design-a-Bot workshop, the Delegates

Thursday 21 May 2015

Identifying field variability, its causes and distribution

1. “V” is for variability: origins of variation & contributions to yield, Bruce Searle, Plant and Food Research
2. Monitoring peas from greenhouse to paddock, Christina Finlayson, Plant and Food Research
3. More adequate or Less better: sensor arrays and wireless networks, Gert Hattingh, Waikato Institute of Technology

Managing variation, precision in planting and nutrient placement

1. Planting Precisely: machine settings, technology limitations, John Chapman, Power Farming
2. Advances in Precision Planting, John Ahearn, GPS Control Systems
3. Fertiliser Spreader Calibrations: results from on-farm testing, Dan Bloomer, LandWISE
4. Fertiliser Ballistics: must know facts about fertiliser spreading, Miles Grafton, Massey University

Field sessions

1. One pass strip-till/ plant
2. Mini-ME and Spikey
3. UAS options – aerial mapping at the MicroFarm
4. Cover Crop options
5. Fertiliser spread pattern testing
6. Nitrogen QT strips
7. International Year of Soils
8. Soil moisture measurement

Download programme here> 

Technical Session Friday 22 May 2015

(By application)

• Scoping research and farm needs
• 60 second introductions
• Defining future farm problems and challenges
• Discussion of key issues