Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Aerial Application Technology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314067
Title: Precision agriculture in large-scale mechanized farming

Author
item Yang, Chenghai
item Sui, Ruixiu
item LEE, WON SUK - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2015
Publication Date: 1/10/2016
Citation: Yang, C., Sui, R., Lee, W. 2016. Precision agriculture in large-scale mechanized farming. In: Zhang, Q., ed., Precision Agriculture Technology for Crop Farming. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. p. 177-211.

Interpretive Summary: Precision agriculture has the potential to improve the use efficiency of farm inputs, increase farm profits, reduce adverse environmental impacts, and improve sustainability. Significant progress has been made in precision agriculture technologies over the last two decades. This chapter provides an overview of the current status and adoption of precision agriculture in large-scale mechanized farming in the U.S. It reviews research and commercial activities on the development and application of precision agriculture technologies for variable rate fertilizer application, water management, crop pest management, and specialty crop production. Some of the challenges and research needs are also discussed. This chapter can be used as a useful reference for researchers, graduate students, precision agriculture service providers, consultants and producers.

Technical Abstract: Precision agriculture involves a great deal of technologies and requires additional investments of money and time, but it can be practiced at different levels depending on the specific field and crop conditions and the resources and technology services available to the farmer. If practiced properly, precision agriculture can improve farm input efficiency, increase farm profitability and minimize adverse environmental impacts, thus improving the long-term sustainability of production agriculture. This chapter provides an overview of the current status and adoption of precision agriculture in large-scale mechanized farming in the U.S. It reviews research and commercial activities on the development and application of precision agriculture technologies for variable rate fertilizer application, water management, crop pest management, and specialty crop production. Some of the challenges and research needs were also discussed. Precision agriculture is an evolving technology. Although it is important to continue to develop new techniques and enhance the existing technologies, more research should be devoted to the integration, application, and adoption of these technologies so that more and more farmers and dealers will be able to adapt them to current practices. This book chapter can be used as a useful reference for researchers, graduate students, precision agriculture service providers, consultants and producers.