SiteSpecific Management

1
Site-Specific Management

• Factors influencing plant growth
• Water
• Light
• Temperature
• Soil Compaction
• Drainage

2
Tools Available

• Computers
• Complex but user friendly software
• Satellite guidance and positioning
• Application engineering advances

3
Schematic of steps involved in variable-rate
technology

• Assessment
• Data collection
• Data Crunching
• Analysis
• Decision Making
• Action
• Production Measurement
• Evaluation

4
Variable rate vs- Single Rate

• Why?
• Give Examples?

5
Grid Soil Sampling

• 1- Divide the field into grids
• Grid size ranges .5 4 ac. (1-2.5 most common)
• The small the grid the more accurate the field
  results will be.
• However, it is more costly, thus concentrate on
  the major

6
Management Zones

• Factor such as
• Topography/slope
• Soil color/type
• Drainage
• And other obvious field variables.

7
Remote Sensing

• real time picture of the crop and soil.
• Early example would be infrared photography.
• Satellite imagery (crop canopy reflectance)
• Chlorophyll meters Handheld or machine mounted
  sensors (infrared/near infrared monitors)

8
Enabling Technologies for site-specific
fertilizer management

• GPS Global Positioning System
• constellation of satellites
• Three are needed to locate a point
• x,y,z position a 4th for error correction.
• Geo-referencing Field mapping software can
  utilized GPS for locating soil samples boundary
  locations precisely.

9
Geo-referencing

• Provides
• Accurate visualization of field variability.
• Control fertilizer equipment based on field
  position.

10
Enabling Technologies for site-specific
fertilizer management cont.

• GIS Geographic Information System
• Designed to take soil test information and GPS
  data.
• From this information it can generate
  geo-reference soil test maps, yield monitor maps,
  digital field images from satellite/aerial
  photography.
• Layering of field data. Allows you to analysis
  field variables and potential nutrient
  interactions.

11
Data Management

• Computers
• Internet
• Network (servers)

12
Site-Specific Fertilizer Application Equipment

• Can apply dry or liquid
• Can apply up to 10 fertilizer products at one
  given time
• Equipment with GPS guidance
• Controller (on-board computer)
• Collects and reads data, translator of field
  maps, direst applicator to apply the correct rate
  of fertilizer in the correct field location.

13
Economics, is it worth it?

• Must be determined on an individual based. Each
  is different.
• Will the cost go down?