SERRANO, João; PECA, José; SILVA, José M.    SHAHIDIAN, Shakib. Fertilizers application: technology, energy efficiency and environment. []. , 37, 3, pp.270-279. ISSN 0871-018X.

The application of mineral fertilizers is an essential process for maintaining soil nutrient levels that are adequate for crop development. Nonetheless, the empirical application of these chemical products originates environmental problems and involves economic and energetic costs. The availability of technologies that support the geo-referenced characterization of soil variability and of the crop needs, the space-time analysis of information, and the variable application of fertilizers requires greater know-how by the farmers in order to sustain their decision making. This article presents a set of technological developments demonstrated in previous works by this research team through which it is possible to optimize the energetic performance of the farm tractor (at the level of the driving support systems, advice on the transmission ratios at the gear box, the management of the engine speed and the power take off), as well as the efficiency of the fertilizer application (use of variable rate technology, VRT, based on GPS tractor guidance systems, sensors and actuators). These two aspects, which on one hand contribute to optimizing the energetic performance of the tractor, and on the other, demonstrate the potential of the new technologies for the differential application of fertilizers, affect the production factors that represent fundamental pillars in a farm and are part of the concepts of sustainable agriculture and of precision agriculture.

: tractor driving support; efficiency; fertilizer distributor; technology.

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