As a result, autoguidance systems like Case IH’s AccuGuide, which can reduce the amount of fuel used by eliminating overlaps, are very much in the limelight, according to Case IH brand manager, advanced farming systems, Guiseppe Cuteri.

He says the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service has worked out that if guidance systems were used on 10pc of the planted areas across the US, then fuel use would be cut by almost 61 million litres.

All this is old hat to Victorian grain grower, Brian Smith (pictured), who uses autoguidance technology on his Case IH 210 Magnum and 425 Steiger tractors, as well as an 8010 Axial-Flow combine and 4410 Patriot sprayer.

Over the past four years he estimates the autoguidance system has led to annual fuel savings of 10pc across his operation, which is significant considering he uses around $87,000 of fuel annually to sow, spray, harvest and bale crops on his 3,000ha property at Nhill.

“When we initially started using the technology, the appeal for me was increased accuracy,” he said.

“But as fuel has become more expensive, the savings have become just as important to us.”

To reduce fuel costs further, Mr Smith also changed his seeding practices three years ago, moving to a lighter bar.

He says that using a newer and lighter 50ft wide cultivator bar has translated into an additional saving of two litres of fuel/hectare during the course of his cropping season.

Case IH is also talking up its Engine Power Management system on its CVX, Maxxum and new Puma range of tractors – technology that measures the precise amount of fuel for the task, courtesy of constant engine RPM settings which hold engine speed within a desired range.

Meanwhile, an Automatic Productivity Management system will be launched for the Magnum and Steiger lines later this year, according to Case IH’s Guiseppe Cuteri.