Precision Planting, Agrivoltaics and Smart-Farming Projects in Czech Potato Production

Czech potato growing is increasingly turning to precision and “smart” technologies. On a farm in Rantířov, a variable-rate planting system — described as unique in the country — divides fields into zones using yield maps and satellite data from Sentinel-2 and Planet, after which a Grimme planter equipped with ultrasonic tuber recognition automatically adjusts the spacing between tubers within the row according to the potential of each specific part of the field. This approach allows planting density to match local soil and yield potential rather than being applied uniformly across the whole field.

Research is also exploring more unusual solutions. The Potato Research Institute in Havlíčkův Brod, together with Austrian colleagues, is studying the cultivation of potatoes between vertical photovoltaic panels; preliminary results indicate that partial shading by the panels does not harm plant condition and that the soil beneath them dries out more slowly, although drip irrigation remains the decisive factor. In addition, a new project running from 2026 to 2030 has been launched to apply “smart agriculture” principles to safe potato production, focusing on preventing tuber greening and the accumulation of toxic glycoalkaloids through IoT and AI — including the selection of light spectra — as well as on the development of light-blocking packaging.