Using Grid Soil Sampling w/Precision

Ag Technologies

Katlynn WeathersSoil 4213

April 10, 2013

What is precision agriculture?

What makes it so special?

How can grid soil sampling help?

Introduction

Purpose of Soil Sampling (Why)• Determine fertilizer and lime needs• Influence management decisions

* Too much fertilizer reduced nutrient use efficiency

* Not enough fertilizer will hurt yields

Introduction

Previous management• Significantly altered soil nutrient levels• Confined livestock areas• Unknown management practices from previous

years• Desire for more information

Smaller fields merged into one

Consider Grid Sampling If…

Types of Soil Sampling . . . . . .

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Composite / Random

Zone

Grid

Sampling On a Grid

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36

37 38 39 40 41 42

43 44 45 46 47 48

Field Border

Grid Cell

Sample ID #

Sampling w/ In A Grid

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Center of Grid

Sample points

W/ in Grid Cell

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Center of Grid

Soil Test Results

Soil Test P Potassium pH

Soil Test Maps

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/WQ450

How will you use this information??? • Layering

Prices in Oklahoma• Flat rate per acre (Central OK)

$4.50 -$5.50• VRT per acre (Northern OK)

$6.00 - $8.00

What Happens Next???

AdvantagesMore accurate

Layering of data

Nutrients

Has the potential to save money and increase yields*

Disadvantages Cost

Time

Not ideal for all locations

Specialized equipment

Questions?????

1. University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/p/WQ450

2. University of Nebraska Cooperative Extensionhttp://cropwatch.unl.edu/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=506359&name=DLFE-12661.pdf

3. West Virgina University Extension Servicehttp://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forglvst/Precision_Statewide_Project.pdf

4. University of Nebraska-Lincoln http://cropwatch.unl.edu/web/ssm/soilsampling

5. Clemson Extension http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/psapublishing/Pages/AGRO/IL63.pdf

Links for more Information