Jun 2, 2014 - analysis between a manual and automated system revealed a benefit of NZD .... Drip irrigation is the most efficient method to deliver water and.
Mini-review Received: 16 October 2013
Revised: 1 April 2014
Accepted article published: 9 May 2014
Published online in Wiley Online Library: 2 June 2014
(wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI 10.1002/jsfa.6734
The role of precision agriculture for improved nutrient management on farms Carolyn Hedley* Abstract Precision agriculture uses proximal and remote sensor surveys to delineate and monitor within-field variations in soil and crop attributes, guiding variable rate control of inputs, so that in-season management can be responsive, e.g. matching strategic nitrogen fertiliser application to site-specific field conditions. It has the potential to improve production and nutrient use efficiency, ensuring that nutrients do not leach from or accumulate in excessive concentrations in parts of the field, which creates environmental problems. The discipline emerged in the 1980s with the advent of affordable geographic positioning systems (GPS), and has further developed with access to an array of affordable soil and crop sensors, improved computer power and software, and equipment with precision application control, e.g. variable rate fertiliser and irrigation systems. Precision agriculture focusses on improving nutrient use efficiency at the appropriate scale requiring (1) appropriate decision support systems (e.g. digital prescription maps), and (2) equipment capable of varying application at these different scales, e.g. the footprint of a one-irrigation sprinkler or a fertiliser top-dressing aircraft. This article reviews the rapid development of this discipline, and uses New Zealand as a case study example, as it is a country where agriculture drives economic growth. Here, the high yield potentials on often young, variable soils provide opportunities for effective financial return from investment in these new technologies. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry Keywords: precision agriculture; variable rate technology; nutrient management; sensors; GPS
INTRODUCTION
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Precision agriculture is made possible by new technologies [geographic positioning systems (GPS), sensors, geographic information systems (GIS), and advanced software and precision application equipment]. It aims to modify inputs (e.g. fertiliser, irrigation, dairy effluent, seed rate) spatially and temporally at the sub-paddock scale for cost efficiencies and productivity and environmental gains. Globally, the affordability and accessibility of these technologies helped precision agriculture emerge as a research discipline in the 1980 s1 and a strong focus has always been to improve nutrient use efficiency by matching inputs to site-specific field conditions.2,3 Matching fertiliser inputs to site-specific field conditions requires measurement and understanding of soil spatial variability and crop nutrient status, and its relation to crop response. Precision agriculture uses high resolution (
