Next-generation precision agriculture project launched

The system, which represents a significant evolution compared to field mapping techniques using drones, utilizes the multi-parameter proximity sensor MECS-CROP (Micro Environment and Canopy Sensor, CROP version) installed on the tractor. MECS-CROP, along with MECS-VINE (its vineyard-dedicated counterpart), are the two sensors from the Smart Smiley line designed, developed, and patented to produce vigor maps with an even greater level of significance and detail superior to what was previously possible with drones [SEG 9] . [SEG 10] The Casalasco Tomato Consortium confirms its position as a cutting-edge entity by testingthe sensors during fertilization and irrigation

, equipping itself with a latest-generation system that represents a new frontier in precision agricultureand a concrete and immediate solution for farmers with the aim of increasing yields, improving product quality, and cultivating tomatoes more efficiently and sustainably. The sensors directly read the vegetative development of the tomato plant, allowing farmers to both create highly precise thematic maps directly and without intermediaries, and to use the sensor data as direct input for the operating machinery. This enables the machinery to adapt in real time to the crop's specific needs, distributing the exact amount of water and nutrients. This system allows for

operator autonomy

, optimizing costs, which are significantly lower than drone mapping techniques, and achieving a substantial reduction in waste and environmental impact.
Having reviewed the results of this initial experimental phase, Casalasco plans to apply the system on a large scale in the coming years, across most of its associated farms, until it fully covers its area of operation.

“This highly innovative project,” states Costantino Vaia, General Manager of Consorzio Casalasco del Pomodoro, “is another piece supporting our corporate mission, which makes sustainability one of the fundamental pillars of our operations. For years, Casalasco and Pomì have been implementing concrete actions to protect the land and the supply chain, continuously reducing environmental impact, because we have always believed that a sustainable supply chain guarantees not only high product quality, but also the development of the regions and the people involved in it.”