RUBICON is extending its expertise in channel automation technology directly on to the farm. The company has appointed former AquaSpy executive Peter Moller to head its newly estab lished FarmConnect division. Rubicon expects to capitalise on its expanding product range which will offer farmers a better way to optimise crop yield with limited water.
“Essentially we’re miniaturising the automation technology that Rubicon uses in large channels into small bays to make on-farm irrigation automatic, which has never really been done before,” said Moller, general manager FarmConnect.
Once operational, FarmConnect is expected to revolutionise on-farm water efficiency and productivity and allow farmers to maintain crop yield, and therefore their income, with less water. “What’s traditionally happened is the farmer or irrigator has had to deal with different groups of technologies on different platforms on different software fronts,” Moller said.
“So at the moment farmers have to go and find a radio from one company, a water meter from another company and a sensor from another company, and find a software platform and puzzle and piece it together, and that’s not their core business.
“The beauty of FarmConnect is that it integrates water control, irrigation, performance and demand management in to one single platform making it easier for farmers to benefit from the latest technology. Importantly, it allows the farmer to expand the system over time and can readily integrate a wide range of farm devices.
“Real-time feedback of soil conditions dictates when and how much to irrigate, taking the guess work out, minimising wastage and optimising plant health by avoiding conditions which are too dry or too wet. By monitoring plant demand and by precisely controlling the applica tion of water, the plant receives only what is needed and no more.”
According to Moller, FarmConnect is likely to follow suit with Rubicon’s channel automation technology and expand overseas. “There is huge oppor tunity for this integrated product over seas,” he said. “Other countries are going to follow suit, they’re watching what’s happening in Australia as the leaders in water innovation. FarmConnect is currently in the final stages of intensive field testing and we are looking to commercially release the product early in the New Year.”
Moller joined Rubicon as General Manager, FarmConnect in October 2010, to establish the on-farm water technology division for company’s Australian, Chinese and US markets.
Rubicon has also recently secured the master distributorship for AquaSpy products in Australia. AquaSpy produces soil moisture sensors and associated technology.