Precision Ag Update. --Trends in Practices and Management of Data. Harold F. Reetz, Jr. Ph.D., CPAg, CCA

Transcription

1 Precision Ag Update --Trends in Practices and Management of Data Harold F. Reetz, Jr. Ph.D., CPAg, CCA Manitoba Agronomists Conference Winnipeg, Manitoba December 15, 2009

2 Growing Population Means Growing Need for Food, Feed, Fiber, and Fuel from Crop Production Global Population Density (2007)

3 Arable Land---Top 20 Countries

4 Historical trends in global harvested areas of the three major cereal crops Percent of worldwide harvested cereal area FAO, Year Wheat Maize Paddy Rice

5 Percent of total global harvested cereal area attributable to each crop: 2007 Buckwheat, 0.42 Barley, 8.09 Canary seed, 0.04 Cereals, nes, Fonio, 0.07 Wheat, Maize, Triticale, 0.53 Sorghum, 6.26 Rye, 0.99 Rice, paddy, Millet, 5.12 Mixed grain, 0.26 Oats, 1.71 Quinoa, 0.01 FAO, 2008

6 Building a Local Management Database

7 Think Systems Management Right management Components interact for management decisions. System considers: all component practices, the data (information). Results of the management decisions. Agronomic responses (yield). Economic evaluation. Environmental consequences.

8 Better Technology Better Data Site-specific decision making Sensors Guidance systems Monitors Historical records Sampling Mapping systems Controllers GIS analysis

9 The Global Production Challenge Double 2007 grain production by 2030

10 Sources of Increased Yield Potential? Edgerton, M. D Increasing Crop Productivity to Meet Global Needs for Feed, Food, and Fuel. Plant Physiology:149, pp

11 Corn Yield Trend & Need 3%/yr 1.8 bu/a/yr for 43 years Breaking the 1.8 barrier will require our best agronomic science + best agronomic management

12 Soil survey data Previous crop Management & Physical Factors Hybrid planted Fertilizer Rate Map Yield Map Analysis Tools Profit Map Projected Actual

13 Fundamental Principles

14 Site-Specific Management Systems Best tools for best management practices

15 Consider the Whole System Systematically include all components to define the best management system. Power of precision technology is in GIS analysis. Determines interactions among data layers. Works with on-farm research results. Make betterinformed, site-specific decisions.

16 Right Nutrient Management Precision farming and the various component technologies of precision farming are essential to Right management to the 4R System for Fertilizer BMPs. Right Source Right Rate Right Place Right Time

17 The Global Framework for 4R Nutrient Management with Performance Indicators See for more information

18 Right Source Balanced supply of ALL essential nutrients, Meet daily plant needs all season long. Tools Regular scouting Plant analysis Modeling Placement Controlled-release fertilizer ESN, Agrotain, Nutri-Sphere, etc.

19 Right Rate Assess soil nutrient supply and plant demand. Tools Soil testing and plant analysis Remote sensing Yield monitor data GIS mapping and analysis ArcGIS, SST, FarmWorks, GeoAgro, etc. Data integration and interpretation; modeling Hybrid-Maize; Maize-N GIS analysis Grid or zone sampling Field level nutrient budget and GIS analysis Variable-rate application

20 Right Time Assess dynamics of crop uptake, soil supply, and logistics of field operations. Determine timing of nutrient loss risks. Tools Plant and soil analysis With GPS, GIS, VRT application Nutrient sensing Soil sensors --- ph, K, organic matter, etc. Greenseeker SPAD, Cardy meter, color charts Weather monitoring Simulation models Integrated remote sensing and GIS analysis

21 Right Place Recognize root-soil dynamics. Manage spatial variability Meet site-specific crop needs and limit potential losses. Tools Models GIS database and maps Digital soil survey RTK guidance and placement systems

22 Interactions are Important The right source, rate, time, and place are interdependent. The 4Rs interact---they work together for best management. Variable application of fluid lime recreates the ph map in this Illinois field.

23 Building a Local Management Database

24 Matching the Tools with the Needs With a combination of tools and data that are a part of precision farming technology, farmers can identify and implement the true best management practices for their operations.

25 Variable-rate application: ---Right rate; Right place K soil test map of Illinois field 90 acres (36.5 ha) Yield Goals: Corn bu/a = 12,548 kg/ha Soybeans bu/a = 4,033 kg/ha 13% needed no K 30% needed maintenance rate 47% needed higher (build-up) K rate

26 Managing K Variability Field Average Soil test: 170 ppm Total Applied: None Site-Specific Soil Test Range: ppm Total K Applied: lb K (4550 kg K)

27 On-Farm Research -Building a local database K Application Map -Fine-tuning recommendations Plot Rate 1 Plot Rate 2

28 Are Our Soil Test Goals Adequate for High Yield Systems? 38 bu/a (2.3 T/ha) more corn!!

29 Decision Support Systems Decision-support tools help us to fully realize the value of the databases, whether generated on-farm or obtained from other sources.

30 Hybrid-Maize Model A user friendly simulation model developed for on-farm use site specific attainable yields & N needs

31 Hybrid-Maize Simulations

32 Moving Toward Higher Yields 370 bu/a (23 T/ha) Corn ---Herman Warsaw, Illinois 1985 High yields require working with the details to fine-tune management practices. 154 bu/a (10.3 T/ha) Soybeans ---Kip Cullers, Missouri 2007

33 Integrating Data from Precision Ag Precision Agriculture tools include more than equipment. The real power of precision ag is in decision support --- integrating data, models, GIS maps, etc., to support better-informed management decisions.

34 Field Scale to Global Scale ---One Field at a Time Adopting this approach at the field scale helps contribute to the outcome of providing sustainable cropping systems at state, regional, national, and even global scales. Sitespecific management applied at the local scale throughout the world creates aggregated benefits at the global scale. As more farmers adopt better practices through sitespecific management and better-informed decisionmaking on each field, the larger-scale results can be realized for agriculture and society in general, locally and globally.

35 The Concept Fits Small Farms.or Large Farms In some cases, each field may be a management zone. The tools used may be different, but the site-specific management concept still fits.

36 or Small Fields within Big Fields North Texas PacMan Storage??

37 Information Management The information component helps to interpret results and guide decisions. Soil survey---digitized if possible Yield history---data and GIS maps Weather data Current season for modeling Past seasons for historic evaluation Soil test and fertilizer application---data and GIS maps Production practice records Scouting reports Plant analysis Harvest data Yield, moisture, test weight, quality Data storage, backups, analysis

38 Dare to Dream!! Source: AutoFarm Ad, Agricultural Technology/Irrigation, October 2007

39 Thank you! Harold F. Reetz, Jr. Ph.D., CPAg, CCA International Plant Nutrition Institute Foundation for Agronomic Research 107 S. State St., Monticello, IL Phone: