Using Precision Ag Technologies to Enhance Production

www.AlabamaPrecisionAgOnline.com

7/6/2012

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1Advancing Science & Technology

Using Precision Ag Technologies to Enhance Farm Production

John Fulton

Advancing Science & Technology 12Advancing Science & Technology

Precision agriculture is much more than adopting technology,

it’s about whole farm management with the goal of optimizing returns to input and preserving resources!


Discussion for Today

• Our Motivation

• Overview of Alabama Precision Ag Program

– Focus

– People

– Funding

• Research projects and results

• Value of Precision Ag


Field Conditions

Crop Fields:oNot squareo Size varies (20 to 200 acres)


Trends for Ag Equipment• Time conducting field operations is critical to farmers (ac/hr)

• Equipment size (increasing)– Sprayers: 90 or 120 foot wide

– Planters: 60 to 80 foot wide

– Harvesters: 35 to 45 foot wide

• Field speeds: 3 to 20 mph (12‐18 mph)

• Machine automation

– Technology to automate machine functions – Accurate input management – GPS provides the essential sensor for today’s ag equipment but must

be match to field operations.


Management Considerations

Curvilinear Travel

Odd Shaped Management Zones

Technology Response


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Value?


Avoid mistakes Accurately plant ‐ critical step for the entire season.

Maximize field usage

What is the value?


Alabama Precision Ag ProgramTeam Goals

1. Generate timely (unbiased) information to help farmers’ decisions related to Precision Ag

2. Increase precision ag awareness and benefits using online venues (website and social media) and participation in international activities.

3. Promote agriculture through extension and education efforts.


Alabama Precision Ag Program

Team Members

• 5 Auburn University faculty (Biosystems Engineering, Agronomy & Soils, and Ag Economics)

• 3 Research Associates

• 7 graduate students

• Extension Agronomy Team (6)


Team Effort


Alabama Precision Ag ProgramFunding

– USDA (various sources)

– USDA‐NRCS (cost‐share programs)

– Alabama Commodity Groups (check‐off funds)

– International Plant Nutrition Institute

– Alabama Cooperative Extension System

– College of Agriculture

We partner with industry but research is not financially supported.


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Facilities

Precision Sowing Studies and Demonstrations Autoguidance Testing

Fertilizer and Litter Spreader Design, Testing, and On‐

Farm Demonstrations.

Crop Sensor Development and Demonstration along

with Spray Control and Nozzle Evaluation

Advanced Automation Facility

• 4 primary experimental farms in Alabama

• Research: agronomic and technology

• Education capabilities: host groups and conduct trainings & workshops (hands‐on)


EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

Farmer Workshops

Field Days and DemonstrationsHosting International Visitors

Educating Extension Personnel & Consultants


RESEARCH PROGRAMGOALS• Develop technology to accurately and uniformly apply inputs (nutrients,

pesticides and seed)

• Evaluate technologies to understand limitations and needed improvements

a. Technology development has outpaced understanding and research

b. Can limit the resolution of site‐specific management (SSM): minimum management size


0%

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100%Currently Using Technology Intend to Use Technology

Precision Ag Adoption in Alabama

Turning Data into Knowledge

Auburn Study: Winstead et al., 2010


Recent Precision Agr. Survey• Over 85% of Precision Ag Practitioners indicated their operation has been more profitable.– Average input savings per acre

• $19/ac for corn

• $18.50/ac for soybeans

• Up to $39/ac for cotton

– Fertilizer savings $4 to $13 per acre depending on crop.

• Top benefits of PA Technology– Ability to apply chemicals and fertilizer where needed

– Greater profitability due to lower input costs

– Identification of poor producing areas of their fields

Results courtesy of Precision Ag Institute


Average Savings for Precision Ag Technologies

Technology Percent Savings

GPS‐based Guidance 10%

Variable‐Rate Application 7%

Automatic Section Control (ASC) 5%

TOTAL AVERAGE 22%

NOTE: Data based upon Auburn studies. Savings could be higher or lower depending upon many production factors.

Quality of life (happier at the end of the day)


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GPS ACCURACYMatch to field operation and crop management


Today, we are not purchasing GPS receivers, we are buying technology with integrated GPS/GNSS.Question:What positioning technology provides the

– accuracy level for my operation and what is its reliability?

– ability to expand on its capabilities


GPS Correction Services• Global Positioning System (GPS)

– ~24 satellites orbiting the Earth

– Offers worldwide navigation reference

• Correction services– Trying to “correct” for systemic errors

– Offered by:• Public

• Private entities

– Accuracy Levels: • Sub‐meter

• Decimeter

• Centimeter (RTK)

– Essential to machine‐guidance operations


Dynamic AccuracyYear-to-Year

• No testing standard ‐ open to interpretation

• Short‐term accuracy

– Requires “stable” satellite geometry (≈15 min)

– Also referred to as pass‐to‐pass accuracy (P2P)

• Long‐term accuracy

– Relative to a “surveyed truth”

– Also referred to as year‐to‐year accuracy (Y2Y)

• Matching required accuracy to field operations


Approximate positioning accuracies between various GPS correction services

Trimble RTX


Selection of GPS AccuracyPass‐to‐Pass vs. Long‐Term

Correction Service

Pass‐to‐Pass Accuracy

Potential Range of Drift

WAAS ± 6 to 13 inches ± 4.7 ft

Sub‐meter ± 6 to 13 inches ± 2.3 ft

Decimeter ± 2 to 4 inches ± 1.7 ft

RTK ± 1 inch ± 1 inch


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25Advancing Science & Technology5 Operating GPS Satellites, 2 Blocked by Trees

GPS only

ISSUE

• Too few GPS satellites

• Lose correction

RESULT = DOWN TIMECan’t complete last couple of passes using guidance system!

26Advancing Science & Technology9 Operating Satellites, 2 Blocked by Trees

GNSS = GPS + GLONASS

Corrects of low satellite count (>8)

RESULT = Improved ReliabilityCan complete last couple of passes and operate near obstructions!


Site-Specific Management

As‐applied map

Grid‐based Rx map

$29/ac savings on fall applied fertilizer compared to traditional fixed‐application.


Site-Specific Management (SSM)

• Precision Ag fundamentally requires matching inputs to a need(s)

– If a part of a field requires more fertilizer, apply more

• Common sense ideas, but how do you implement them on the farm or in research?

– Farmer knowledge of the land and past management needs to be an input layer


How to Implement Precision Ag?

Implementation achieved through Management Zones or Grids

Important Point:• There is no “best” method for developing management zones.• Any method is better than the traditional uniform approach if field

variability exists.


Prescription (Rx) MapsPhosphorus Potassium (KCl)

Images courtesy of Dr. Scott Shearer and Ellis Farms


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Yield MonitoringBuilding Knowledge

Crop performance in a spatial context

Understand

– Variability

– Nutrient removal

– Data for improving nutrient management (Variable‐rate Application)

Yield (bu/ac)


Yield Variability

That which can be changed

– Fertility, seeding, etc.

That which must be managed

– Soil physical properties


Production Monitoring• Identifying the effects of various products and agronomic choices.– Seed varieties

– Seed treatments

– Fertilizer rates

– Seeding rates

• Strip tests within several fields– Split planter trials

– Change rates with each pass

• Use yield maps to verify response


Implementation StrategyBuilding on Knowledge

N Application Rate(Pounds/Acre)

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Yield Map Following YearNitrogen Application Map


Revealing Suspected Variability

Corn Yield Map

Wheat Yield Map

Soybean Yield Map


Site-Specific Management

5.605.10

6.6 to 6.8

6.3 to 6.6

6.0 to 6.3

5.8 to 6.0

5.7 to 5.8

5.5 to 5.7

5.3 to 5.5

5.1 to 5.3

4.9 to 5.1

4.7 to 4.9

pH Index

Wheat Yield (Prior to liming) pH Map


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Wheat Yield (After liming)Wheat Yield (Prior to liming)

Site-Specific ManagementCorrecting Issues


Seeding Prescription MapPrimarily Corn

Simple Approach

• Higher seeding rates under the pivot versus outside

• Simple approach with not need for data.

More Advanced Method

• Higher seeding rates under the pivot versus outside.

• However, yield data and farmer knowledge allowed for further tuning rates based on field variability


Zone or Grid Changes over Time…

• Zones / Grids must be analyzed, evaluated and adjustedover time (8‐10 years)

• Not static– Need to re‐assess and possibly change

– Develop revised management strategy

Possibilities– Grids or zones could be combined if similarities develop

– Zones could be split if more variability arises

– Zone shapes and sizes can be altered

– Could move from grids to zones


Our Focus• Start simple and take steps (takes time)• Adaptive Nutrient Management

– Use yield monitors to document field variability and compute crop removal (annually)

– Use precision soil sampling to evaluate soil fertility levels and changes

N Application Rate(Pounds/Acre)

35

77

116


Precision Technologies for Sprayers


Ag. Sprayer - Liquid Application • Larger sprayers (90, 120 ft)

• Irregular field boundaries and varying terrain

• Time (ha/hr)

• Environmental concerns– Follow product label– Preservation of conservation structures

Buffer Strip

Grassed waterway


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Automatic Section ControlExample during Herbicide Application

Buffer Strip

Nozzles OFF

• Automatic ON / OFF of sections on application equipment

– GPS‐based technology

– Sections turn OFF: previously treated areas or unwanted areas

• Reduces 1) overlap and 2) application in unwanted areas (waterways, buffer strips, etc.).


Overlap Reduction Technologies• Adjacent Passes

– Overlap occurs at boom ends

– Mitigated with guidance systems

• Headland or Point Rows (turnaround)– Overlap occurs across the boom

– Mitigated with automatic section control

Overlap represented in blue.

Image courtesy of Luck


Difference with TechnologyManual Errors

– Overlaps (blue)

– Skips (red)

ASC Errors

– Overlaps reduced (blue)

– Skips eliminated

Images courtesy of Luck and Shearer


Reduction in OverlapManual versus Automatic Section Control

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Ove

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Field Number

Manual Section Control Automatic Section Control

Savings depends on field

5% average savings

High adoption

Table courtesy of Luck


Sprayer Off-Rate Errors


Flow Dynamics with Sprayer Plumbing

Extended time for nozzle flow to stabilize


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Sprayer Setup ConsiderationsAutomatic Section Control

• Distribute boom sections evenly– Minimize overlap

– Consistent response for rate controller

• Place boom shut‐off valves close to spray section.

Image courtesy of Luck


VARIABLE-RATE NITROGENSprayers


Available Nozzle Technology

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Flow Rate (gp

m)

Pressure (psi)

VariTarget ‐ Yellow

TurboDrop VR 015

Fixed Orifice (03)


Flow rate measurement

SpotOn Sprayer Calibrator


Results


Low Flow

Variable-Orifice Nozzles


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On-the-Go Crop Sensors


Integrating Crop Sensors and Yield Monitor Data

• We know that the response to N varies spatially across the field.

• We also know that response to N varies each year.

• Can we incorporate other information (yield monitor data) that we have to aid nitrogen decisions?

• Use yield monitor data to determine yield potential zones and crop sensors to determine seasonal N needs.


Crop Sensor Studies

• Nitrogen application in corn and wheat• Weed pressure mapping• Defoliant applications• Stress, damage and variability in crops

RESULTS: 1. Input algorithms need to be regionally specific.2. Can be used for fine‐tuning seasonal nutrient management


Value of Precision Ag?• Convenience

• Data can be knowledgeo Input savings

o Enhancing nutrient management (address variability)

o Documentation / certification


Precision AgricultureJohn Fulton

[email protected] 334‐844‐3541

Advancing Science & Technology

Precision Ag technologies simultaneously enhance production efficiency and environmental stewardship.

AL_Prec_AgAlabama Precision Ag Online


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Using Precision Ag Technologies to Enhance Production

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