25 years Precision Agriculture in Germany a retrospective

Transcription

1 25 years Precision Agriculture in Germany a retrospective Silvia Haneklaus, Holger Lilienthal and Ewald Schnug silvia.haneklaus@julius-kuehn.de, holger.lilienthal@julius-kuehn.de, ewald.schnug@julius.kuehn.de Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Institute for cultivated plants, Institute for crop and soil science Bundesallee 50, D Braunschweig, Germany

2 Before GPS - Dead Reckoning Simply mark with poles and start application manually or e.g. or Tractor 1km/h speed Tramline A: Start Application after mins; end after 5,3636 mins Tramline B: ,23 Start Application after mins; end after 6,0712 mins Accurate time, speed control, compass and steering needed Works satisfactory in flatland areas. Fails in hilly terrain; slip of the machinery.

3 Availability of GPS for civilian applications Cost-performance ratio was extremely poor. Number of available satellites was strictly limited ; signal was easily lost in hilly, forested terrain. Accuracy was marginal with ±50 meter at best. Signal deteriorated completely when military switched on the selected availability code => Anyway GPS technology was a breakthrough for navigation and positioning in the field.

4 Late 1980s - Recognition of regional spatial variability of crops and soil Spatial variability of soil and crop features has been studied from field to regional scale in northern Germany (Knoop et al. 1985, Lamp and Schnug 1987, Schnug et al. 1989). Geo-statistical analysis of soil and crop data became available (Surfer software). First digital agro resource maps (DARM) were created. Computer Aided Farming (CAF), developed in order to transform spatial information for instance into fertilizer application maps (Lamp and Schnug 1987, Schnug et al. 1990).

5 First GPS based variable rate application 1989 the first public demonstration of variable rate application of the herbicide phenmedipham in dependence on the small-scale variation of the soil organic matter content was demonstrated in Birkenmoor, northern Germany.

6 First GPS Yield monitor They Claydon Yield-O-Meter was a device which measured every liter of grain that goes into the tank. By entering a Hectoliter weight, the machine can calculate exactly how much grain is being harvested (within 1%). With the combination of GPS, yield Maps can be measured.

7 Computer Aided Farming Local Ressource Management (LRM) Precision Farming At the early 1990s all technical components were available to measure and address spatial variability. LRM addresses the small-scale variability of soil and crop features and translates this knowledge into VR applications. LRM combines traditional methods of field and laboratory soil science with geo-statistics, data management and interpretation by GIS. The Software part to combine GPS Data, analysis software and application maps became LORIS (LOcal Resource Information System). All components together are the tools for precision farming.

8 Computer Aided Farming Local Ressource Management (LRM) Precision Farming

9 Computer Aided Farming Local Ressource Management (LRM) Precision Farming

10 Phase I Pioneers (Concepts & Technology) 1988 GPS for civil applications. Site Specific Nutrient management (SSNM) in Germany (CAF). First demonstration of GPS assisted SSNM at DLG exhibition First GPS Yield Mapping. First VRT application of a herbicide First international workshop on Computer aided Farming in Kiel Site specific nutrient management presented at the Soil Specific Crop Management Workshop in Bloomington, Minnesota which later became 1 st ICPA.

11 Phase II Technology scientific knowledge improvement 1996 Heege & Reusch (1996) developed the N-Senor Agritechnica Hannover - Special on Precision Agriculture. preagro Projects ( ) 2000 Switch off GPS signal degradation

12 Online Sensors 2001 Yara N Sensor started a boom for the development of similar sensors Source: agricon 2011

13 Online Sensors 2001 Yara N Sensor started a boom for the development of similar sensors

14 Research Projects preagro preagro II The collaborative research project pre agro II was intended to provide solutions for relevant problems for the analysis of spatial characteristics of sites and canopies, for the information management of farms as well as for improving the introduction of precision farming (PF) into practical farming. Conducted by 22 partners from 26 institutions in research and development for agriculture the project operated in 22 subprojects and dealt with topics from: ƒ Development of methods to analyse conditions and characteristics of sites and crop stands. Analysis of farm economy with PF, aspects of biodiversity with PF as well as aspects of the national economy from possible pathways of PF. ƒ Development of flexible, partly automated systems and tools to collect, manage and exchange data and information within farms with PF. Development of PF-subparts in agroxml. Indicators and criteria for evaluating the process quality of crop production within the scope of sustainability by involving relevant stakeholders from the value added chain of food production. Determining the acceptance of PF by farmers and the demand for information as well as education and training. Providing training material as well as curricula for teaching PF. Source: Final report 2008

15 Phase III Operationalisation 2004 EM38/Veris 2008 Landsat Open acess. RapidEye launched 2009 Hyperspectral online sensors (TriSpek) 2010 Autosteering especially in plant breeding UAV s 2013 Copernicus Programme of EU

16 Phase IV Adoption? 2010 PhD M. Reichardt Farm an field size as well and investment costs are the main factors for the use of PA in Germany Sensors and autosteering are the main technologies used Challenges Compartibilty of different and software components Expanding the range of services in the field of PA Expansion of official counseling Consideration of PA topics in agricultural education