Kverneland PUDAMA
With targeted fertiliser application in row crops, PUDAMA ensures high yields with reduced input and environmental impact.
Highlights
Save 25% starter fertiliser with 100% yield Utmost precision and efficiency Sustainable farming system
“Key for farming now and in the future is to reduce the environmental and climate impact of how we produce and consume food. With PUDAMA, we can save 25% of the starter fertiliser. That means it does not go into the soil and it is not washed out. At the same time, we are talking about saving 81,000 tonnes of fertiliser per year in Germany, fertiliser which does not even have to be produced."
Description
Farmers are currently faced with challenges which are not easy to reconcile at first glance. On the one hand the costs for fertiliser have risen exponentially and resources are limited. Still, healthy plant growth is the basis for a successful yield and safe food production. At the same time, the protection of the environment has become a key topic of today’s agriculture.
Due to the risk of contaminated groundwater and local over-fertilisation with organic fertilisers, recent European regulations, rules and policies have defined new standards and reduced the kinds of components allowed.
THE KVERNELAND PUDAMA SYSTEM SOLUTION
With PUDAMA the amount and location of the fertiliser is precisely defined. The nutrients are exactly deposited where the roots of the grain can reach it and only as much as needed. In this way, loss and leaching is avoided. Thus also the production of fertiliser raw materials could be reduced. In brief, PUDAMA is increasing the efficiency in the use of mineral starter fertiliser in maize – thus maintaining 100% yield whilst saving at least 25% starter fertiliser.
The PUDAMA system has been incorporated in the models of Optima TFprofi and Optima F with SX high speed row.
Features
The Kverneland PUDAMA system solution
Fertilisation ensures the supply of nutrients to the crop, but over-fertilisation often has undesirable effect on the environment and the ecosystem of the land.
How to keep the balance?
Conventional band application places a continuous band of fertiliser also between the plants, where the roots cannot reach it. This is the amount of fertiliser simply wasted and washed out.
Kverneland PUDAMA
With PUDAMA the amount and location of the fertiliser is precisely defined. The nutrients are only deposited where the roots of the grain can reach it and only as much as needed. Synchronised with the seed application at high speeds, a cloud of fertiliser is placed by an air stream below and sidewards to the seed during seeding process. Every seed has an optimal fertiliser depot at its disposal which is completely absorbed by the plants. In this way, loss and leaching is avoided and the production of fertiliser raw materials can also be reduced. In brief, PUDAMA is increasing the efficiency in the use of mineral starter fertiliser in maize – thus maintaining 100% yield whilst saving at least 25% starter fertiliser.
PUDAMA, has been developed by Kverneland Group Soest GmbH in recent years in cooperation with the TH Cologne, Institute for Construction and Agricultural Machinery Technology of Cologne. For your reference, the results of these studies have been published here in English and German. Further tests and trials have been carried out under the various conditions all over Europe.
THE RESULTS
The PUDAMA system ensures the reduction of at least 25% of fertiliser compared with the continuous application of fertiliser - whilst maintaining 100% yield. With technology such as the Kverneland Optima TFprofi SX PUDAMA precision drill, farmers can save a lot by reducing fertiliser, transport and work costs. For example, if a farmer with 300ha of maize uses 150kg/ha DAP 18-46 in the conventional way, he would save 37.5kg/ha of fertiliser with the PUDAMA system. This means a saving of 7,875€* for 300ha.
PUDAMA field trials all over Europe in 2023
“PUDAMA increases the efficiency in the use of mineral starter fertiliser in maize thus maintaining 100% yield whilst saving at least 25% starter fertiliser.”
This significant scientific claim was the result of a three-year study and doctor thesis of Kverneland in co-operation with the University of Applied Sciences, Cologne and was followed up by wide spread field trials across Europe.
After the incorporation of the PUDAMA system in the Optima SX high speed row, Kverneland extended the scope of operation and initiated a PUDAMA campaign with field trials in six European countries at 30 different locations to show proof the practical relevance of the PUDAMA technology in farmers’ local conditions. Various institutes, universities, agronomists and farmers were involved to follow-up the trials in practice under different conditions.
The test fields were exposed to real-life risks: Thus, some trials failed due to birds picking up the seeds or lack of water in the summer in some eastern European countries where two trial locations had below 150 l/m2 water. However, the results of the remaining trials are convincing and confirmed the scientific results.
The results are convincing and confirmed the scientific results
In almost all trials, the yield of the 75% PUDAMA plots, was nearly the same or even higher than with the conventional way of continuous fertilising.
"PUDAMA - 100% yield whilst saving at least 25% starter fertiliser.”
International awards for Kverneland PUDAMA
Since its first presentation, PUDAMA has been honoured as significant environmental innovation in agricultural machinery on various international shows and exhibitions.
Spain, FIMA February 2024
Kverneland's PUDAMA system has been awarded as Outstanding Technical Novelty in the FIMA Technical Novelty Contest, in the category "Driven machines and fixed and mobile installations".
UK, IAGRE Environmental Award 2024
At the LAMMA Show which took place in January 2024 in Birmingham, UK, the Kverneland team were presented with the IAgrE environmental award for the PUDAMA system. Judges could clearly see how targeted fertiliser application during maize sowing would reduce the negative impact that excess fertiliser has on the environment, awarding gold for environmental innovation.
France, SOMMET D’OR MACHINERY AWARD 2023
Again PUDAMA won an important award in France in 2023, the “Sommet d’or” at the Sommet de l’Élevage, an important exhibition dedicated to dairy farms in Clermont-Ferrand, Southern France. PUDAMA was awarded in the category “Machinery”.
France, 3 INNOV’SPACE AWARDS 2023
The Kverneland PUDAMA innovation won 3 Innov’Space awards at the SPACE trade show in Brittany (France): an INEL D'Or, an Innov'Space 2 stars award, and a special 3 star award for jury’s special mention. The jury is made of 50 industry experts, farmers and journalists, independent of the SPACE organization. It selects the products, equipment or services which present a significant innovation in agriculture.
The Netherlands, INNOVATION AWARD ATH 2022
The Kverneland PUDAMA technology has won the Bronzen Sikkel at Netherlands' largest agricultural fair, Agrotechniek Holland, in 2022. A professional jury selected the 3 most valuable and most distinctive innovations from 49 entries of various brands. This prize acknowledges the highly innovative character of PUDAMA and confirms the interest and confidence the sector has in this technology.
Germany, NRW EFFICIENCY AWARD 2021
The PUDAMA precision air seeder won the main prize in the product category of the North Rhine-Westphalia Efficiency Award 2021. The prize honours innovative products and services developed in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. To win, a product has to demonstrate key efficiency factors such as resource-saving product development, environmentally-friendly manufacture, reduced environmental impact during the product’s life, and recyclability.