Precision AgriculturePrecision Agriculturean Overviewan Overview

Need for Precision Agriculture (1)

In 1970, 190,500,000 ha classified as arable and permanent cropland in the USA

Decreased to 187,776,000 ha by 1991. Irrigated land in the USA peaked at

20,582,000 hectares in 1980 and has been stable at 18,771,000 hectares since 1989.

Trends suggest that cropland in the USA will not expand beyond the present 190,000,000 ha

Developing world: 760,000,000 hectares classified as cropland and could theoretically increase to 850,000,000 hectares.

World population increases by 86 million people per year (235,000/day, World Resources, 1996).

33,000 people die each day due to malnutrition/starvation

Cropland needed to feed the human population, if population growth stops and land is preserved, will be roughly 3.3 billion hectares, and likely to become limiting near the year 2050

Need for Precision Agriculture (2)

Probability of bringing 3.3 billion hectares into production from the current 1.4 billion hectares is small (www.igc.org/millennium).

A large portion of the lands considered as 'potentially arable' (e.g., increase from 1.4 to 3.3 billion hectares) include tropical rainforests and other lands that would require massive inputs for any kind of sustained crop production.

Need for Precision Agriculture (3)

Unlikely that the total arable world land will increase beyond its present level

Increased production per unit area will be essential.

Applied precision agricultural production practices are timely and required within the developed and developing agricultural community.

Need for Precision Agriculture (4)Need for Precision Agriculture (4)

Precision Agriculture?Precision Agriculture?• Human need• Environment

– Hypoxia – $750,000,000 (excess N flowing down the

Mississippi river/yr)• Developed vs Developing Countries• High vs Low yielding environments

Many research & development practices Many research & development practices are not designed to foster site-specific are not designed to foster site-specific

managementmanagement• Continued success in wheat germplasm and

technology dissemination worldwide depends on the free and uninhibited flow of genetic materials and information. Restrictions imposed on such movement due to intellectual property protection could have serious consequences on the ability of developing countries to sustain wheat productivity growth.

• …. further gains would have to come from specifically targeting breeding efforts to the unique characteristics of marginal environments

What is Precision Agriculture?What is Precision Agriculture?

• Treating small areas of a field as separate management units for the purpose of optimizing crop production based on in-field variability

Site Specific ManagementSite Specific Management• The application of an input to a specific

area based on the evaluation of variability of the need for that input. Richardson, 1996.

• Recognition of site-specific differences within fields and tailoring management accordingly, instead of managing an entire field based on some hypothetical average. Emmert, 1995.

Definitions of Precision Definitions of Precision AgricultureAgriculture

• Using information to better manage farms at the field level or finer resolution.

• Optimizing inputs to produce the largest net income.

• Combine yield monitors, GPS, Grid Soil Sampling.

What is Precision Farming?What is Precision Farming?• Management by the Field• Management by the foot• Global Positioning Systems• Yield Monitors• Sensor Based Weed Control• Grid Sampling• Variable Rate Fertilizer Application

Oklahoma State University’s Oklahoma State University’s Definition of Precision Definition of Precision

AgricultureAgriculture• Variable rate application of fertilizers,

pesticides or other materials based on the sensed needs of the crop within the following constraints:– Available Technology– Agronomic – Economic

Large Scale Large Scale (Macro) (Macro)

Variability Within Variability Within a Fielda Field

Intermediate Scale Variability Within a FieldIntermediate Scale Variability Within a Field

IKONI Imagery 4 m Resolution

Small Scale (Micro) Small Scale (Micro) Variability Within a FieldVariability Within a Field

Variability in Weed PopulationsVariability in Weed Populations

Variability in Grain YieldVariability in Grain Yield

97 Yield Poly 98 Yield Poly

Klinsick; 98 (186.0 ac.)

Date: Sep 25, 1999Field Name: Klinsick; 98Location: Texas Co., Oklahoma, United StatesFarm Name: KlinsickClient Name: Long Bros.Total Acres: 186.0Field Boundary Start Location: Latitude: 36.80187915 Longitude: -101.41159014

500 0 500 Feet

97 Yield Poly18.261 - 27.8627.86 - 38.2338.23 - 47.4947.49 - 53.4653.46 - 65.425

98 Yield Poly22.99 - 41.152 (1.0 ac.)41.152 - 59.314 (14.5 ac.)59.314 - 77.476 (100.9 ac.)77.476 - 95.638 (62.9 ac.)95.638 - 113.8 (6.8 ac.)

Map BasedMap Based - Precision - Precision Farming Farming

ManagementComputer Yield Map

GIS - Precision FarmingSoftware

GPS Referenced Soil Samples

Fertilizer Prescription

GPS ConstellationsAerial and Aerial and Satellite Satellite ImagesImages

Soils Maps, Elevation Maps, Soils Maps, Elevation Maps, etc.etc.

On-the- Go Sensing of Plant Needs On-the- Go Sensing of Plant Needs and Variable Rate Treatmentand Variable Rate Treatment

Variable RateVariable RateSpray NozzleSpray Nozzle

DirectionDirectionof Travelof Travel

Computer andComputer andSensorSensor

AssemblyAssembly

Decision MakingDecision MakingAnd Agronomic StrategyAnd Agronomic Strategy

PlantPlant