COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION

As a major input of capital investment in mechanised agricultural operations, farm machinery cost is important to be evaluated before making decisions for its further adoption. This study aimed to evaluate the total costs of an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time plant Nitrogen (N) sensor and autopi...

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Published in:Journal of Oil Palm Research
Main Author: Pebrian D.E.; Mohammad R.; Azmi M.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Lembaga Minyak Sawit Malaysia 2024
Online Access:https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85198080434&doi=10.21894%2fjopr.2023.0019&partnerID=40&md5=461033ca666f43b29a5f7a8ec462528b
id 2-s2.0-85198080434
spelling 2-s2.0-85198080434
Pebrian D.E.; Mohammad R.; Azmi M.A.
COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
2024
Journal of Oil Palm Research
36
2
10.21894/jopr.2023.0019
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85198080434&doi=10.21894%2fjopr.2023.0019&partnerID=40&md5=461033ca666f43b29a5f7a8ec462528b
As a major input of capital investment in mechanised agricultural operations, farm machinery cost is important to be evaluated before making decisions for its further adoption. This study aimed to evaluate the total costs of an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time plant Nitrogen (N) sensor and autopilot tractor-mounted real-time soil electrical conductivity (EC) sensor for plant and soil monitoring operation in oil palm cultivation. The estimated total cost for operating an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time plant N sensor was RM5.51 ha–1 or 45.00% lower than that of the current practice in immature palm fertilising operations. Whilst, the estimated total cost for operating an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time soil EC sensor was RM6.90 ha–1 or 31.14% cheaper than that of the current practice. Considering the average oil palm estate area of 960 ha in Malaysia and the frequency of operation per year, the break-even areas (BEA) for economic justification of owning an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time plant N sensor was five estates, and an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time soil EC sensor was two estates. Despite securing higher total cost saving offered by each machine system was a challenge, however, the machine’s capability of optimising site-specific crop management (SSCM) for managing efficient inputs is a key benefit of this technology. © 2024 Lembaga Minyak Sawit Malaysia. All rights reserved.
Lembaga Minyak Sawit Malaysia
15112780
English
Article
All Open Access; Gold Open Access
author Pebrian D.E.; Mohammad R.; Azmi M.A.
spellingShingle Pebrian D.E.; Mohammad R.; Azmi M.A.
COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
author_facet Pebrian D.E.; Mohammad R.; Azmi M.A.
author_sort Pebrian D.E.; Mohammad R.; Azmi M.A.
title COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
title_short COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
title_full COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
title_fullStr COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
title_full_unstemmed COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
title_sort COSTS EVALUATION OF AUTOPILOT TRACTOR-MOUNTED REAL-TIME SENSORS FOR PLANT AND SOIL MONITORING OPERATION IN OIL PALM CULTIVATION
publishDate 2024
container_title Journal of Oil Palm Research
container_volume 36
container_issue 2
doi_str_mv 10.21894/jopr.2023.0019
url https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85198080434&doi=10.21894%2fjopr.2023.0019&partnerID=40&md5=461033ca666f43b29a5f7a8ec462528b
description As a major input of capital investment in mechanised agricultural operations, farm machinery cost is important to be evaluated before making decisions for its further adoption. This study aimed to evaluate the total costs of an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time plant Nitrogen (N) sensor and autopilot tractor-mounted real-time soil electrical conductivity (EC) sensor for plant and soil monitoring operation in oil palm cultivation. The estimated total cost for operating an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time plant N sensor was RM5.51 ha–1 or 45.00% lower than that of the current practice in immature palm fertilising operations. Whilst, the estimated total cost for operating an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time soil EC sensor was RM6.90 ha–1 or 31.14% cheaper than that of the current practice. Considering the average oil palm estate area of 960 ha in Malaysia and the frequency of operation per year, the break-even areas (BEA) for economic justification of owning an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time plant N sensor was five estates, and an autopilot tractor-mounted real-time soil EC sensor was two estates. Despite securing higher total cost saving offered by each machine system was a challenge, however, the machine’s capability of optimising site-specific crop management (SSCM) for managing efficient inputs is a key benefit of this technology. © 2024 Lembaga Minyak Sawit Malaysia. All rights reserved.
publisher Lembaga Minyak Sawit Malaysia
issn 15112780
language English
format Article
accesstype All Open Access; Gold Open Access
record_format scopus
collection Scopus
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