How Data-Driven Thinning Saved 50% in Chemicals and Boosted Yield by 7%
The Challenge
The Challenge: Uneven Crop Load. The orchard faced significant variability in crop load across their Elstar blocks. Managing these differences with traditional, uniform spraying was inefficient, leading to inconsistent yields and wasted resources.
Client
A 23.5-hectare fruit farm in Batenburg, specializing in Elstar, Red Prince, and Wellant apples, and recently expanding into Conference pears. Their oldest Elstar trees date back to 2013.
“
The TreeScout is incredibly user-friendly, and the service from Aurea is excellent.
“The Solution
To tackle this imbalance, the farm implemented the Aurea TreeScout. By mapping the orchard in high detail, they moved towards data-driven precision farming. This year, they focused on site-specific application (VRA) for thinning agents like ATS and BA.
The Results
50% Chemical Reduction: By using prescription maps (taakkaarten) for BA, the farm used only half the amount of chemicals compared to traditional methods.
7% Yield Increase: On the lighter-blooming Elstar trees, the precision approach resulted in an estimated 7% increase in yield, as fewer fruits were unnecessarily thinned.
Optimized Vitality: The TreeScout ensured that even the “thinner” trees maintained a healthy cluster count, leading to a more productive harvest.