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Ag Leader

Technology Inc

The Ag Leader OptRx Crop Sensor


Ag Leader Technology, Inc. is a pioneer and recognized technology
innovator of precision agriculture hardware and software. Located in
Ames, Iowa, USA, the company manufactures and markets industry
leading precision farming technology designed to help growers make
smart, profitable business decisions.
Ag Leader offers the complete and full package of instruments and
farm management software for total precision farming. One of the
products is the high quality OptRx crops sensor.
Founded in 1992 the company has achieved consistent growth and
expansion by providing value-based products that help growers and
ag professionals achieve and maintain a successful operation.
Ag Leader recently opened a European office in the Netherlands, in
order to be able to service and support the European market even
better.
Key features of the Ag Leader OptRx crop sensor are:

Using 3 wavelengths, the OptRx can determine health of the plant by detecting
how much plant there is (biomass) and how much chlorophyll is in the plant.
The OptRx sensor can supply both NDVI and NDRE
The OptRx sensor gives high quality, reliable information in the early stages, as well
as later stages of crop grow.
The Ag Leader OptRx sensors are NOT height dependant.
Only two sensors will supply a sufficient reliable VI.
The Ag Leader OptRx crop sensor scans plants in a top down view to get a true
picture of the plant canopy in the way the plant absorbs sunlight.

How OptRx Works


OptRx crop sensors are installed on front
mounted brackets or across the application
boom.
Emitting their own light source, the sensors
measure crop vigor based on plant mass and
light reflectivity readings.
The Vegetation Index (VI) is calculated based
on real time crop readings.
Using the real time VI values, Ag Leader
DirectCommand applies nitrogen at variable
rates on-the-fly based on real-time crop readings
compared to a reference value.

The use of crop sensing


technology to prescribe nitrogen
rates on the go in grains, cereals,
and other production ag crops is
one technique to increase plant
health and yield potential. OptRx
crop sensors measure the
nitrogen needs of your crop and
provide application rate
recommendations in real-time to
maximize your profit.

The Causes and Effects of Nitrogen Variability Organic Material


Organic material is one of the most significant sources of nitrogen in the soil.
The more organic matter present, the more nitrogen the soil produces. Because organic
matter can vary with different soil types, nitrogen availability in the soil can vary greatly
across the field.
Lodging and Under-Fertilizing
Under-fertilizing crops can lead to significant losses in yield. At the same time, for wheat,
barley and other grass crops, over-fertilizing can lead to lodging which can cost a grower up
to 60 percent of total yield.

OptRx Benefits:
Reduce application of nitrogen in nitrogen-rich areas.
Increase yield potential in nitrogen-poor areas of the
field.
Reduce lodging by over application of nitrogen
Record crop vigor variation data across the field.
Balance the affects of organic material variability
across the field.
Improve yield potential for crops harmed by
denitrification due to poor drainage.
Rate Table
OptRx crop sensors are ideal for applying fertilizers,
pesticides, defoliants, growth regulators and other
agrochemicals on-the-go at the rates necessary for
optimum performance. Based on farmers own
experience and working with an agronomist or crop
consultant, the faremr can select a Vegetation Index range and assign the recommended
rates of any chemical based on the range chosen.
Each country has specific N application models, varieties and local practices.
The nitrogen algorithms with OptRx supports all regions and application strategies by
modeling its application based on how the user applies nitrogen. The system requires a few
simple details about the users nitrogen applications strategies and then the system is ready
to apply nitogen to the fields and users needs.

The OptRx sensor has three channels, three wavelengths: 670nm, 730nm, and 780nm.
The Ag Leader OptRx sensor is not affected by ambient lighting conditions and can therefore
work during the day or during the night.

Ag Leader OptRx is the only sensor on the market to provide the unique combination of VI
values

NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)


indicates chlorophyll and biomass
in small plants in early growth stages
NDRE (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Red Edge) indicates chlorophyll and
biomass in large plants in later growth stages

OptRx sensors have shown the ability to detect stress in crops such as potatoes and wheat
earlier and later than other sensors in many trials in England and The Netherlands.
OptRx has also shown an ability to record accurate VI values in dusty field conditions where
others have been affected in field trials.

As a plant grows light reflectance changes significantly. This chart, above, shows that if a
crop sensor only accounted for only Red light, reflectance changes significantly as the plant
grows larger. It is necessary to change to Red-Edge in the later growth stages to keep a
consistent comparison of healthy plants to weak plants.
The Ag Leader OptRx sensor does it all, and with that the OptRx is one of the most reliable
and practical sensors in the market.
As only two sensors are needed, the Ag Leader OptRx is very economical.
Hans Stiekema
Ag Leader Europe bv
Nov 2012

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