Croptimal, builder of the award-winning Croptiscan 9000 selection robot, is launching the tractor-mounted version of the Croptiscan. The new machine is a direct response to a clear demand from the market: smaller growers also want to select their seed potatoes using smart technology. The new 3-metre tractor-mounted Croptiscan 3000 has a camera above each row that scans the crop and detects diseases such as Potato virus Y (PVY) and potato leafroll virus before they are visible to the naked eye. 
 

Earlier detection

The Croptiscan detects diseased plants earlier in the season than is possible with manual selection. The sooner an infection is found, the lower the chance that it will spread further across the field, and the greater the chance that the seed potato field will still meet the required quality standards.
 

Fewer selectors, greater risk

Experienced selectors who manually inspect seed potato fields are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Without timely and accurate selection, growers run the risk of downgrading or even rejection of their seed potato field, with significant financial consequences. The tractor-mounted Croptiscan 3000 offers growers an accessible way to reduce that risk without immediately investing in a fully self-driving machine.
 

Entry-level model with a growth path

The tractor-mounted version is attached to the tractor and is equipped with the same camera and marking technology as the self-driving models. The recognition algorithms have been trained on practical data from seven operational Croptiscan machines, supplemented with data from twelve separate camera arms using the same camera.

With a working width of 3 metres and a driving speed of 5 kilometres per hour, the machine scans approximately 1.5 hectares per hour, or around 12 hectares per working day. Thanks to its own shielding against ambient light, the Croptiscan works just as reliably in bright sunlight as it does in the dark, enabling use both day and night.

The Croptiscan 3000 is priced at EUR 95,000, with an additional EUR 4,000 per year for service, support and algorithm updates. Growers who start with the tractor-mounted version can later upgrade to a fully self-driving version: the 3-metre 4-row, the 6-metre 8-row or the 9-metre 12-row Croptiscan.

Jeroen Wolters, Co-founder of Croptimal:

"We developed the tractor-mounted version because selection quality is just as important for smaller growers as it is for the largest companies in the market. Disease pressure does not look at hectares. With this model, we bring the same proven technology to a price point and scale that suit smaller businesses, with a clear growth path as the business or disease pressure increases."

Payback period

The risk of downgrading can quickly outweigh the investment. According to Croptimal, with an average loss of several hundred euros per hectare per season, the tractor-mounted version can pay for itself within three to five years for many growers.
 

Proven in practice

The underlying technology of the tractor-mounted version is the same as that of the Croptiscan 9000, winner of the PotatoEurope Innovation Award and now operational at several growers in the Netherlands. The recognition algorithms have been trained on validated practical data from seven machines operating in the field, supplemented with image material from twelve separate camera arms. Part of that data comes from seed potatoes photographed even before emergence, further increasing the accuracy of early disease detection.
 

Availability

The tractor-mounted version of the Croptiscan is available to order through Croptimal and its dealer network.