Field preparation normally starts with a good look at the land, drainage, soil sampling and analysis and then breaking the ground. Tillage gear that rip and subsoil performs a very important function. It allows the field crops or trees to be planted to have access to deep rich soils where water and fertiliser can be absorbed into the soil and plant roots have the freedom to grow past compaction layers in the soil.

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Soil is compacted by nature as well as a result of overworking and driving on it.  The farmer needs to have a constant awareness of soil compaction based upon his previous  seasons' crop planted and all the maneuvers it involved with fertilisation, spraying, planting and harvesting. Depending on the soil type some type of subsoiling might be required every second or third year. In the case of trees in plantations before a new block is planted.

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The Hexagon AgrOn system facilitates cost saving operations by providing depth monitoring and depth control of the ripper or subsoiler.  In the same way variable rate fertilization maps are created the system can execute and record a subsoiling prescription depth map.  A depth map is created by surveying the field and capturing the depth from the soil surface to the break layers against a geospatial position.

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Bringing the depth map prescription and execution map together creates the validation that the most effective operation was done. Since most of this type of work is done by contractors it serves as validation for the task performed.