Agricultural digitalisation: the data is available, but we need to learn how to use it more effectively

In recent years, agriculture has made significant progress towards digitalisation. Sensors, prescription maps, GPS systems, ISOBUS terminals, farm management software and increasingly advanced equipment are now used by many agricultural businesses. However, the real challenge is no longer simply having access to data, but being able to turn it into practical operational decisions that improve fieldwork and make every application more precise, sustainable and efficient.

This issue is also closely connected to fertiliser application. Today, spreading fertiliser does not simply mean covering an area evenly, but managing a technical and economic resource with greater care. Fertiliser has a cost, affects productivity and must be applied according to the actual needs of the soil, the crop, the agronomic stage and the shape of the field. In this context, data becomes a valuable tool only when it is effectively integrated into everyday operations.

The technology already available makes it possible to overcome many of the typical limitations of traditional spreading methods. Irregular fields, headlands, boundaries, overlaps, narrow rows and areas with different requirements cannot be managed using the same approach applied to a perfectly regular field. This is precisely where agricultural digitalisation demonstrates its value, as it allows the machine to operate with more accurate parameters and adapt distribution to the actual conditions of the field.

For DCM, this approach is central. The solutions we have developed are designed to provide greater control over fertiliser distribution by combining mechanics, electronics and digital systems. ISOBUS technology, for example, enables communication with the in-cab terminal and allows the machine’s functions to be managed in a more integrated way, while Section Control makes it possible to control the working width and reduce overlaps, especially in irregularly shaped fields. In this way, data does not remain abstract information, but is translated into an effective machine adjustment.

Another important development is variable-rate application. By using prescription maps, the application rate can be adjusted according to the different requirements of specific areas within the field or individual plants. This means moving from uniform fertilisation to a more targeted approach, in which each area receives an amount that is more consistent with its actual needs. It is a cultural change as well as a technological one, because it requires fertiliser application to be viewed not as a standard operation, but as a strategic phase of agronomic management.

Continuous weighing and application-rate control systems also play a fundamental role. In the field, forward speed may change, just as the quality of the product in the hopper and the operating conditions may vary. A machine designed to maintain control of the application rate automatically compensates for variations in fertiliser flow, forward speed and operating conditions, helping the operator work with greater precision and consistency, reducing the risk of errors and improving distribution uniformity.

In specialised crops such as vineyards, orchards, poplar plantations, olive groves and hazelnut orchards, the intelligent use of data becomes even more important. In these contexts, it is not always necessary to spread fertiliser everywhere. Instead, targeted application is often required, following the presence of the plants and the structure of the rows. Systems such as SONAR can detect the presence of a plant and automatically activate or deactivate distribution, helping to reduce fertiliser waste and avoid applications in areas without vegetation, making production more sustainable on a environmental level.

Agricultural digitalisation should therefore not be seen as an additional complication, but as a way of simplifying decisions that are already complex in the field. The aim is not to accumulate data, screens or functions, but to make this information usable for farmers, agricultural contractors and everyone who must turn a technical decision into a precise operation every day.

The future of fertiliser application will increasingly depend on the ability to connect data, machinery and agronomic expertise. The difference will not be made solely by those who have access to the most advanced technology, but by those who know how to make it useful, understandable and applicable in real working conditions. This is why DCM continues to develop solutions designed to help operators spread more effectively, reduce waste and work with greater control, bringing precision from data theory into field practice.