Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators maintains its leading position by applying the most efficient spraying techniques for fruit tree cultivation. Munckhof recently made the option of precision farming available for all its spraying solutions. This innovation is the result of a collaboration with Delphy Advies, a consultancy specialising in fruit cultivation, and Aurea Imaging, which specialises in drone technologies and data processing. This new application allows fruit growers to match their spraying strategy to individual trees and tree types and automatically execute it.

Munckhof's spraying systems for orchards, vineyards and berry farms are known for their high drift reduction and accuracy, and their economical use of crop protection products and fuel. In recent years, Munckhof has continuously integrated innovative technology in its equipment to further improve leaf coverage and the effectiveness of the crop protection products. The latest innovation from Munckhof focuses on location-specific spraying in orchards. Growers can match their spraying strategy to individual trees and tree types using this new application, leading to a further reduction in their consumption of crop protection products and fuel, and even fewer errors and inaccuracies during spraying. The result is maximum yield and fruit of a consistent, high quality. The reduction in the quantity of crop protection products also contributes to greater biodiversity.

Fruit growers who wish to use Munckhof's precision farming technology deploy a smart drone first to take photos of their orchard. GPS technology and smart sensors pinpoint any anomalies. Together with their cultivation adviser, they can then use the photos to formulate a precision spraying strategy that targets specific pests and conditions such as the pear bud weevil (Athonomus Pyri), flower and fruit thinning, disease detection and growth regulation down to individual tree level. The spraying program, i.e. whether spraying takes place at all and the quantity of crop protection product used, can be tailored to each specific location. When spraying to control pear bud weevil, this innovation can reduce the amount of crop protection products used by 90%, resulting in a significant saving. Aurea Imaging converts the photographic map into digital task maps that can be entered into Munckhof's spraying system. The Munckhof sprayer subsequently applies the spraying strategy for each zone fully automatically and with immense precision. Munckhof uses the smart automation features built into its spraying systems to achieve this. 

Munckhof purposely opted for existing, proven technology when developing its automatic precision farming system. For example, the new spray application uses Isobus Plug & Play communication technology. Thanks to this feature, the Munckhof spraying system can easily communicate with displays and GPS controls that are offered by well-known brands such as Müller, Topcon and Raven. This flexibility allows growers to (continue to) use their preferred brands. By opting for existing, proven technology, Munckhof has succeeded in creating an affordable, user-friendly and robust precision farming system.  In addition, this innovation can also communicate with Agromanager's online fruit cultivation administration and registration software. Munckhof plans to further extend the functionality of this new technology in the future and will continue to develop automation features for its spraying systems.