scholarly journals FARMER PERCEPTIONS OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
NATHANAEL M. THOMPSON ◽  
COURTNEY BIR ◽  
DAVID A. WIDMAR ◽  
JAMES R. MINTERT
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Farmer Perceptions ◽  
Best Worst Scaling ◽  
Adoption Decisions ◽  
Technology Benefits ◽  
Yield Monitoring

AbstractThe objective of this research was to evaluate producers’ perspectives of four key precision agriculture technologies (variable rate fertilizer application, precision soil sampling, guidance and autosteer, and yield monitoring) in terms of the benefits they provide to their farms (increased yield, reduced production costs, and increased convenience) using a best-worst scaling choice experiment. Results indicate that farmers’ perceptions of the benefits derived from various precision agriculture technologies are heterogeneous. To better understand farmers’ adoption decisions, or lack thereof, it is important to first understand their perceptions of the benefits precision agriculture technologies provide.

Introduction to Precision Agriculture

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Akalpita Tendulkar
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Soil Variation ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Field Variability ◽  
Global Population ◽  
The Internet Of Things ◽  
Yield Monitoring

The global population is increasing at a tremendous speed; thus, the demand for safe and secure food to meet this population is in demand. Therefore, traditional farming methods are insufficient to meet this demand; thus, the next revolution in agriculture is required, which is Precision Agriculture (PA), the Fourth Agriculture Revolution. PA is a technology where the concept of farm management is based on observation, measuring, and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. The technologies used for performing precision agriculture are mapping, global positioning system (GPS), yield monitoring and mapping, grid soil sampling application, variable-rate fertilizer application, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), quantifying on farm variability, soil variation, variability of soil water content, time and space scales, robots, drones, satellite imagery, the internet of things, smartphone, and machine learning. Hence, the current chapter will be emphasizing the overview, concepts, history, world interest, benefits, disadvantages, and precision farming needs.

scholarly journals Precision for Smallholder Farmers: A Small-Scale-Tailored Variable Rate Fertilizer Application Kit

Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelle Van Loon ◽  
Alicia Speratti ◽  
Louis Gabarra ◽  
Bram Govaerts
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
The Right

Precision agriculture technology at the hands of smallholder farmers in the developing world is often deemed far-fetched. Low-resource farmers, however, are the most susceptible to negative changes in the environment. Providing these farmers with the right tools to mitigate adversity and to gain greater control of the production process could unlock their potential and support rural communities to meet the increasing global food demand. In this study, a real-time variable rate fertilizer application system was developed and tested as an add-on kit to conventional farm machinery. In the context of low investment costs for smallholder farmers, high user-friendliness and easy installment were the main concerns for the system to be viable. The system used nitrogen (N)-sensors to assess the plant nutrient status on the spot and subsequently adjust the amount of fertilizer deposited according to the plant’s needs. Test bench trials showed that the add-on kit performed well with basic operations, but more precision is required. Variability between N-sensors and metering systems, combined with power fluctuations, created inaccuracies in the resulting application rate. Nevertheless, this work is a stepping stone towards catalyzing the elaboration of more cutting-edge precision solutions to support small-scale farmers to become successful, high producing agro-entrepreneurs.

A Study on the Time Lag and Compensation of a Variable-Rate Fertilizer Applicator

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
Jinqin Zhang ◽  
Gang Liu ◽  
Jiayun Huang ◽  
Yaohui Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Control Function ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
Lag Time ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Compensation Method ◽  
Rate Change ◽  
List Type ◽  
Variable Rate

HighlightsA lag time detection system for variable-rate fertilization was developed.The lag time of a variable-rate fertilizer applicator was obtained and analyzed.A sigmoid equation was fitted to the data of rate change transition tests.The planar coordinates-based lag distance compensation method (LDCM) could reduce the lag distance effectively.Abstract. The location accuracy of fertilizer application is an essential aspect of the performance of variable-rate fertilizer applicators. The lag time of the fertilization system is an important cause of fertilizer rate transition lags. In order to obtain the lag time and make proper corrections, we developed a lag time detection system for a fluted roller-based variable-rate fertilizer applicator, taking into account the distance between the on-tractor GNSS antenna and the applicator furrow openers, and applied a planar coordinates-based lag distance compensation method (LDCM) to reduce the lag distance. To verify the performance of the LDCM, we conducted fertilization tests with and without LDCM at tractor forward speeds of 3.8, 5.5, and 8 km/h. First, the lag time detection sensors were installed on the fertilizer applicator, and the lag times were measured. Then, the corrected relative position coordinates of the fertilizer outlets were calculated according to the real-time speed and position data from the GNSS receiver. By implementing the control function of the applicator, the fertilization lags were corrected. A sigmoid equation was fitted to the rate change transition data. The results showed that for rate changes from 200 to 325 kg/ha, the delay distances were reduced from 1.10 to -0.84 m (at V = 3.8 km/h), from 1.97 to 0.09 m (at V = 5.5 km/h), and from 6.38 to 0.80 m (at V = 8 km/h). As a result, the LDCM can efficiently decrease lag distances of the variable-rate fertilizer applicator and meet the requirements of accurate fertilization in precision agriculture. Keywords: Fertilization lag, Lag distance compensation, Lag time, Variable-rate fertilization.

scholarly journals Variable-Rate Application on Fertilizer Use in Cotton Production

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Nathanael M. Thompson ◽  
James A. Larson ◽  
Margarita Velandia ◽  
Dayton M. Lambert ◽  
Burton C. English
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Cotton Production ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Fertilizer Use ◽  
The Face ◽  
Input Prices

Precision agriculture technologies are increasingly important in cotton production because input prices continue to rise. Farmers increase input efficiency using precision agriculture technologies by adjusting inputs to match soil fertility and plant nutrition requirements. This research examines the factors affecting changes in fertilizer use following variable-rate fertilizer application in cotton production. Data from a 2009 survey of cotton producers in 12 states of the United States were used in the analysis. Farmers who used precision soil sampling, planted larger cotton area, relied on other farmers for information about PA, grew picker cotton, and had higher household income were more likely to decrease fertilizer application with VRT. Results from this analysis are useful to farmers and policy makers interested in reducing fertilizer use in the face of rising fertilizer prices and growing concerns about the environmental impacts of farming.

scholarly journals Precise Placement and Variable Rate Fertilizer Application Technologies for Horticultural Crops

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnold W. Schumann
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Uniform Field ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Uptake Efficiency ◽  
Horticultural Crops ◽  
Florida Citrus

Fertilizer spreaders capable of variable rate application are increasingly important for enhancing nutrient management in horticultural crops because they improve placement and increase nutrient uptake efficiency. Matching applied fertilizer to fertilizer requirements represents a significant input cost saving for the grower and a reduction in potential pollutant loading to ground and surface water. Variable rate fertilization (VRF) is a precision agriculture technology made possible by embedded high-speed computers, accurate Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, yield or soil maps, actuators, and electronic sensors capable of measuring and even forecasting crop properties in real time. For tree crops like Florida citrus (Citrus spp.), the most important function of the VRF spreader is to detect and avoid fertilizing spaces of the orchard not occupied by trees. Treeless spaces are becoming more common in Florida as diseases such as citrus greening (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) and canker (Xanthomonas axonopodis) cause the removal of thousands of trees every year. VRF works best under those conditions. Because VRF exploits crop and soil variability, it has no value in a perfectly uniform field. VRF enables smaller trees including resets to be fertilized at lower, most appropriate rates, thus minimizing any excess application. This article examines the existing knowledge on using precision agriculture and variable rate technology to keep water and nutrients in the root zone of horticultural crops, thus facilitating maximum uptake efficiency.

Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Bakteri Tanah Sawah di Kecamatan Medan Satria dan Bekasi Utara, Kota Bekasi, Jawa Barat

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arief Pambudi ◽  
Nita Noriko ◽  
Endah Permata Sari
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Soil Bacteria ◽  
Rice Field ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Rice Production ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Nitrogen Fixation Activity ◽  
Growth Promoting

<p><em>Abstrak -</em><strong> </strong><strong>Produksi padi di Indonesia setiap tahun mengalami peningkatan, namun peningkatan ini belum mampu memenuhi kebutuhan nasional sehingga impor masih harus dilakukan. Salah satu masalah dalam produksi beras adalah penggunaan pupuk berlebih yang tidak hanya meningkatkan biaya produksi, namun juga merusak kondisi tanah. Aplikasi bakteri tanah sebagai Plant <em>Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria</em> (PGPR) dapat menjadi salah satu solusi terhadap masalah ini. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengisolasi bakteri tanah dari 3 lokasi sawah daerah Bekasi, membandingkan keberadaan total bakteri pada ketiga lokasi tersebut,  dan melakukan karakterisasi isolat berdasarkan karakter yang dapat memicu pertumbuhan tanaman. Dari ketiga lokasi, diperoleh total 59 isolat dan 5 diantaranya berpotensi sebagai PGPR karena kemampuan fiksasi Nitrogen, melarutkan Fosfat, katalase positif, dan motil. Dari ketiga lokasi pengambilan sampel, BK1 memiliki jumlah total bakteri terendah karena aplikasi pemupukan dan pestisida berlebih yang ditandai tingginya kadar P total, serta tingginya residu klorpirifos, karbofuran, dan paration. Kondisi fisik tanah BK1 juga didominasi partikel liat yang menyebabkan tanah menjadi lebih padat. Peningkatan jumlah penggunaan pupuk tidak selalu diikuti peningkatan produktivitas tanaman.</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><em>Kata Kunci</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong>- <em>Bakteri tanah, Rhizosfer sawah, PGPR, Pupuk Hayati</em></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><em>Abstract</em><strong> - </strong><strong>Rice production in Indonesia has increased annually, but this increase has not reached national demand,so imports still done. </strong><strong>One of the problems in rice production is the use of excessive fertilizers that not only increase production costs, but also decreased the soil conditions. The application of soil bacteria as Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) can be the one solution to face this problem. The objective of this study was isolate soil bacteria from 3 locations of rice field in Bekasi, compare the total bacteria in the three locations, and characterize isolates based on the character that can promote plant growth. From three locations, a total of 59 isolates were obtained and 5 of them were potential as a PGPRs due to its Nitrogen fixation activity, Phosphate solubilization, positive catalase, and motility. From three sampling sites, BK1 has the lowest TPC value because of excessive  fertilizers and pesticides application which indicated by high total P levels, and also high chlorpyrifos, carbofuran and paration residues. The physical condition of BK1 soil is also dominated by clay particles which causes the soil more solid. Increasing of fertilizer application is not always followed by increased plant productivity.</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong><em>Keywords</em></strong> - <em>Biofertilizer, PGPR, Rice field rhizosphere, Soil Bacteria</em></p>

scholarly journals Economics of autonomous equipment for arable farms

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Lowenberg-DeBoer ◽  
Kit Franklin ◽  
Karl Behrendt ◽  
Richard Godwin
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Crop Agriculture

AbstractBy collecting more data at a higher resolution and by creating the capacity to implement detailed crop management, autonomous crop equipment has the potential to revolutionise precision agriculture (PA), but unless farmers find autonomous equipment profitable it is unlikely to be widely adopted. The objective of this study was to identify the potential economic implications of autonomous crop equipment for arable agriculture using a grain-oilseed farm in the United Kingdom as an example. The study is possible because the Hands Free Hectare (HFH) demonstration project at Harper Adams University has produced grain with autonomous equipment since 2017. That practical experience showed the technical feasibility of autonomous grain production and provides parameters for farm-level linear programming (LP) to estimate farm management opportunities when autonomous equipment is available. The study shows that arable crop production with autonomous equipment is technically and economically feasible, allowing medium size farms to approach minimum per unit production cost levels. The ability to achieve minimum production costs at relatively modest farm size means that the pressure to “get big or get out” will diminish. Costs of production that are internationally competitive will mean reduced need for government subsidies and greater independence for farmers. The ability of autonomous equipment to achieve minimum production costs even on small, irregularly shaped fields will improve environmental performance of crop agriculture by reducing pressure to remove hedges, fell infield trees and enlarge fields.

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