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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #139375
Title: BEFORE YOU VARIABLY APPLY, UNDERSTAND WHY: LESSONS FROM MISSOURI PRECISION AGRICULTURE RESEARCH

Author
item Kitchen, Newell
item Sudduth, Kenneth - Ken
item HONG, SUK YOUNG - RURAL DEV ADM,S KOREA

Submitted to: Invited Seminar at Korea Rural Development Administration
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/14/2002
Publication Date: 9/14/2002
Citation: KITCHEN, N.R., SUDDUTH, K.A., HONG, S. BEFORE YOU VARIABLY APPLY, UNDERSTAND WHY: LESSONS FROM MISSOURI PRECISION AGRICULTURE RESEARCH. PROCEEDINGS KOREAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON PRECISION AGRICULTURE. 2002. RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, SUWON, KOREA. P. 45-66.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The 1990s were marked by a rapid increase of interest in precision agriculture technology. Unfortunately, the ability to collect crop and soil information and to generate application maps was ahead of the knowledge of how to develop agronomically sound site-specific management plans. The appeal to variably-apply was so attractive and compelling that just doing it, right or wrong, was good enough. Researchers and producers have quickly come to realize that collecting crop and soil data was much easier than transforming that information into meaningful and responsive plans. Also, producers have voiced strong concerns that they care little for spending time and money unless the end result is improved management plans that economically benefit their production system. A clear statement or question of a crop management problem, relative to soil and crop variability, is now more widely recognized as the starting point. It is producer-need driven. It is the process of problem solving using more and better information. The purpose of this paper is to provide a few examples from the Missouri Precision Agriculture Research Program of how we have targeted our research efforts to address specific questions that producers and their consultants have asked. The paper addresses research targeted to the following questions: 1) Can variable-rate N application for corn improve N use efficiency and reduce N loss to the environment? 2) How do you characterize the variability in the soil-landscape system that affects crop growth and yield? 3) Can precision agriculture information be quickly transformed into meaningful management zones? 4) Can remote sensing be used to assess soil fertility variation more quickly and inexpensively than grid soil sampling?