täppkülvi

täppkülvi, or site-specific seeding, is an agricultural practice that applies seeds at variable rates across a field according to spatial variability in soil, moisture, and crop needs. It is a key component of precision agriculture, aiming to place seeds where they are most likely to establish reliable stands while reducing seed use where conditions are less favorable.

Implementation relies on data and technology. Farmers create field maps from soil surveys, yield histories, and recent imagery (for example NDVI or other vegetation indices). Seed meters and planters equipped with variable-rate control units adjust the seeding rate in real time based on map data. Some systems integrate with combines, drones, or handheld sensors to update prescriptions. The practice is commonly used with cereals, oilseeds, and root crops, and can be paired with variable-rate fertilization.

Benefits include improved stand establishment and uniform emergence, potential yield gains, more efficient use of seed and inputs, and reduced environmental impact due to lower seed and soil disturbance in low-potential areas. Costs and challenges include higher capital expenditure for machinery and software, the need for reliable data and calibration, a learning curve for operators, and the risk of suboptimal results if input data are poor or field conditions change rapidly.

In practice, täppkülvi is implemented as part of a broader site-specific management strategy, and is closely related to variable-rate technology, yield mapping, and digital farming initiatives. It has seen growing adoption in European and North American agriculture and is evolving with advances in sensors, data analytics, and autonomous planting equipment.