What Is Variable Rate Technology (VRT)

Using a tool called Variable Rate Technology (VRT), farmers may adjust the rates at which they saturate their fields with water, fertilizer, seed, and other chemicals.

If you use variable rate technology (VRT) to apply the right amount of nutrients and the best seeding rate, you can increase yield per acre and reduce food waste.

Through careful strategizing of seeding and nutrient sprays in each zone, they can make the most of every opening. Prescriptions are pairs of seed rates and applications that are used to test both the most productive and least productive parts of each field.

The use of VRT allows for the detection of information regarding a particular landscape, and then, presumably, a system may be developed to make judgments based on that knowledge. Therefore, this piece of technology is not just a tool for increasing productivity; rather, it is also a dynamic device that allows you to take the data from your farm and make decisions that are both actionable and well-informed. It is important to have a comprehensive grasp of the potential of the farm, your production goals, and the unpredictability of the fields itself before making judgments of this nature.

VRT is not only the most effective tool for raising productivity, but also provides a digital repository that makes it simple to track the development of any and all practises used in your respective industries. The norm on the market at the moment. A key factor in the success of farmers in today’s market is the capacity to track the origins of their products.

VRT Industry Overview

The market for variable rate technology was worth $3.68 billion in 2021, and analysts predict it will expand at a CAGR of 12.3 percent between 2022 and 2030.

The increasing demand for agricultural innovations has opened up new opportunities for companies who supply agriculture VRT. Competitors in the agriculture variable rate market benefit from technological advancements in the machinery used to boost output.

In terms of market size, the potential for growth in the variable rate technology sector is enormous. Services like farm management, system integration, and expert advice are all part of the package to help you make the most of your potential. Countless corporations all over the world provide services like farm mapping and soil and moisture management.

Lindsay Corporation and similar businesses provide variable rate irrigation and farm mapping services to farmers in several developing countries. These services help to increase the uptake of agricultural variable technologies in regions where farmers typically lack the financial resources to invest in such innovations. Those involved in the market provide VRT services for ongoing monthly or quarterly fees under the terms of contracts.

More people will learn about the merits of agricultural variable rate technology because these services are now accessible in developing economies.

Two distinct varieties of VRT exist:

• Map-based VRT:

If you use map-based VRT, your product application will be modified based on a map of your field that has already been created. Map-based VRT To adjust the application rate, consults an electronic map, which is also frequently referred to as a prescription map.

By consulting a prescription map that details the anticipated speed and the field position obtained from a GPS device, the input concentration may be determined as the applicator moves over the field. In 2021, the map-based category was expected to account for 69.45 percent of the market and grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11.3 percent.

• Sensor-based VRT:

Sensor-based Instead of depending on a map, VRT utilizes sensors that are permanently connected to equipment to monitor soil and crop conditions in real time. Next, the control system determines how many inputs are necessary. A system like this would then use the data from the measurements to control a variable-rate applicator.

During the forecast period (2022-2030), the sensor-based market segment is expected to grow at the highest rate of CAGR (14.3%).