Modern agriculture faces a number of challenges such as producing clean food, but at the same time protecting the environment. The smaller amount of plant protection preparations and fertilizer used is the basis for achieving a balance between good yields and more sustainable agriculture.

On the other hand, the economic situation is a prerequisite for another degree of reduction in the amount of fertilizer applied, due to high prices affecting the profitability of farms.

The health of plants and their proper development cannot and should not be completely left behind, which is why efforts in the development of new technologies are directed precisely in this direction - less fertilizer used, but maintaining the same yield.

Solving the challenges of applying less fertilizer

What technology is behind the PUDAMA point fertilization system?

Is the PUDAMA system applicable in Bulgaria?

The solution

The revolutionary solution to save a minimum of 25% fertilizer during sowing and preserve the amount of yield comes from Kverneland. The PUDAMA system is a point application of fertilizer during sowing. In this way, a minimum of 25% fertilizer is saved compared to standard fertilization/along the entire length of the row/.

The PUDAMA project started back in 2017 as a collaboration between the experience and expertise of specialists from Kvernelând and the Cologne Research University. In the three-year study on the precise application of fertilizer during sowing through a series of field trials, it was shown that PUDAMA is a working solution that allows a reduction of fertilizer applied by at least 25% without any loss of yield.

In Germany, up to 81,000 tons of fertilizers can be saved annually in the future with the PUDAMA system, which would mean that 16,200 tons less pure nitrogen and phosphate would be used.The PUDAMA system is compatible with the Kverneland Optima TFprofi seeder with SX section, offering high reliability, productivity and precision during sowing.

The technology

To better understand the technology, let's compare the conventional fertilizer application with PUDAMA.

Conventional fertilizer application

With conventional tape laying, fertilizer is applied continuously along the tape even in the distance between the seeds. It is this amount of fertilizer that remains undigested by them and is simply lost.

Kverneland Pudama

With PUDAMA, the amount and location of the fertilizer are precisely determined. The nutrients that are introduced through the fertilizer are deposited only where the roots of the future plant will be able to reach it, and only as much as necessary. Placing the right amount of fertilizer and in the right occultation is synchronized with the placement of seed even at high sowing speed.

Is it applicable in Bulgaria?

In 2023, with the PUDAMA system in Bulgaria, demo trials were conducted - sowing of corn and sunflower. Look forward to the continuation of the topic, in which we will show the results of the project /from sowing to harvest/. See more about the PUDAMA system in the video: