Hutchinsons’ soil scanning technology, TerraMap, has been awarded gold in the Royal Highland Show Innovation Awards.
It was put forward by Lewis McKerrow, head of digital agronomy, Hutchinsons, backed up by a testimonial from Inverness. TerraMap uses gamma-radiation detection technology to deliver resolutions above 800 points/ha, enabling it to provide mapping of nutrient properties, pH, soil texture, organic matter, elevation and plant available water.
Data is collected first by driving a lightweight vehicle and the TerraMap sensor over the field, then backed up with soil samples to create individual layers.
Farmer perspective
Moore Drummond Farms is a 450-acre arable business near Inverness with a rotation focused principally on malting barley. Last year, a 100-acre block was TerraMapped.
Farmer Alasdair McArthur said: “We were looking to more fully understand our soils — to put more science and data behind the decisions we were making on the farm around soils and inputs. We opted for the TerraMap Gold service as this allowed us to link the data from TerraMap to a comprehensive soil analysis with Hutchinsons’ soils team.”
The Gold soil test analyses 41 different elements, making it an ideal partner for TerraMap’s high-resolution data and enabling highly informed decisions about soil management.
Alasdair explained: “Whilst there were no great revelations, it has allowed us to quantify areas with more potential, highlighting where we need to invest and fundamentally allowing the soils to work more efficiently. Now we’re working to unlock what’s already there rather than applying more expensive inputs. TerraMap gave us the accurate data we needed to manage the soils properly.”
Jamie Cattell, agronomist for Gardiner ICM, added: “All of the barley on the farm is drilled variably and we have also used satellite imagery to variably apply nitrogen to wheat and variably applied photash based on TerraMap results using Omnia software — all of which is producing more consistent and even crops. It’s not because we are putting more seed on; it is because we are putting the seed where it is needed, in the most accurate and informed way.”
Lewis adds: “Since receiving the Silver Award in 2023, TerraMap has advanced significantly with new service levels and expansion of our sampling fleet. Receiving a Gold Award from RHASS is a fantastic endorsement of the progress that has been made and the value TerraMap is delivering on farms across the country. We are proud to be helping farmers unlock greater productivity, profitability and sustainability through a better understanding of their soils.”