Challenge
TerraNostra is a new company that has been committed to the complete digitization of its farms from the start. Data management is key to decision-making: the more data is correctly managed, the greater the optimization of resources and profitability.
The company needed a solution that would allow it to efficiently control all agricultural processes, detect anomalies, and ensure productivity from day one. In particular, improving the management of available water capacity and the root development of young crops was essential to achieving its production goals.
Objectives
- Increase root depth and improve the health of young crops.
- To promote greater flower induction and the onset of production.
- Optimize soil water availability to maximize vegetative growth and reduce water stress.
- Precisely manage irrigation using soil moisture sensors to optimize the use of available water capacity, promote the development of the trees’ root systems during their third year, and ensure a successful harvest the following year.
Solution
To address these challenges, TerraNostra implemented VEGGA solutions, including the installation of soil moisture sensors:
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Irrigation Manager
It creates a weekly scheduling system and provides tools to precisely control irrigation and fertilization schedules.
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Irrigation Audits
They enable technical staff to assess the irrigation systems on a daily basis, identifying potential issues on new farms and ensuring that the system operates correctly.
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Assisted irrigation
It has met the crop’s daily irrigation needs, providing support for weekly irrigation planning with detailed week-by-week information. It also provides a daily assessment of irrigation applied, ensuring that the systems are functioning correctly.
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Crop Protection
Controls the main pests and diseases affecting olive trees (olive leaf miner, olive fruit fly, and olive fly), ensuring the healthy growth of young olive trees and the fruit production of mature trees thanks to Agrigenio Olivo.
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Agroclimatic monitoring
Soil sensor monitoring stations allow for daily assessment of soil moisture levels, available water capacity, and the efficiency of irrigation.
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Maps
The visualisation of irrigation sectors and sensors by farm allows field and office staff to quickly monitor the execution of irrigation schedules set in the controllers, thereby increasing flexibility and efficiency.
Results obtained
The implementation of VEGGA made it possible to integrate the management of available water capacity directly into the irrigation and fertilization strategy, yielding measurable results:
- Better control and centralized management of all farms, with access to accurate data from both the office and the field.
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The use of soil moisture sensors and precise irrigation control made it possible to manage available water efficiently, with direct benefits for crop development.
In June, when soil probes were started to be used without irrigation guidelines, low moisture levels were recorded at a depth of 60 cm, resulting in poor root development at depth. In July, upon beginning sensor-based control, more frequent and shorter irrigation events were applied, promoting increased vegetative growth. By August, with wetting-drying cycles fully controlled, an increase in moisture at 60 cm was achieved, along with adequate management of water stress at 40–60 cm, promoting deep roots and greater floral induction.
- Reduced errors and early detection of problems in the field.
- Improves crop productivity and health by promoting root development and water use efficiency.
- Agile decision-making based on clear data, ensuring optimal use of the most critical resource: water.
Pablo Vega, Director of TerraNostra“Thanks to VEGGA, our farms operate as a smart system: we can plan irrigation, fertilization, and pest treatments using accurate and reliable data. This gives us peace of mind and allows us to focus on what matters most: maximizing crop productivity and health.”
