The use of automatic and parallel driving systems in agricultural production of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the efficiency of their use

Abstract. Precision farming systems are being intensively introduced into the agricultural production of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Based on the data of development firms and dealerships centers, precision farming allows the cost of fertilizing, seeds, plant protection products and fuels and lubricants to be reduced by an average of 20 %. In doing so, the possibilities of obtaining efficiency from the use of precision farming systems under certain conditions of their use have not been fully studied. The aim of the work was to determine the impact of parallel and automatic driving systems on the technical and operational as well as economic indices during comparative tests in the North Kazakhstan region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Research methods. During process of conducting comparative tests, the test conditions, agrotechnical, energy, operational and technological as well as economic indices of aggregates equipped with parallel and automatic driving systems and without systems were determined. All indices were determined in accordance with the requirements of current state standards. Results. In the article are presented the results of comparative tests of a self-moving sprayer on chemical weeding of wheat and flax crops, as well as a combine harvester for wheat harvesting in the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan. The use of GPS navigation and automatic control on the chemical weeding of grain and oilseeds crops contributes to an increase in productivity by 14.6 %, reduction in specific energy consumption by 8 %, fuel consumption by 17.0 %, and working fluid consumption by 14.5 %. In doing so, the total cost of money is reduced by 9 %, the annual savings of the total cost of money is 6562.6 thousand tenge (1093.7 thousand rubles). Using a parallel driving system (GPS-navigation with a course indicator) for harvesting wheat leads to an increase productivity by 2.1 %, reduction of total cost of money by 3 %, labor costs and specific fuel consumption by 1.4 %, while the annual savings of total cost of money is 233.4 thousand tenge (38.9 thousand rubles). The scientific novelty. In the conditions of the Northern region of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the influence of parallel and automatic driving systems on the technical, operational and economic performance of machine-tractor units was studied for the first time.