Context
Sound and sustainable management is discussed in all fields of activities and especially in agriculture. Environmental politics are more and more restrictive for the use of inputs (fertilizer, pesticides …). In that context, precision agriculture technologies could bring some answers to reduce these inputs and to keep an optimum yield. The aim is to apply the “required dose at the right place”. However, even if technological tools exist (GPS, sensors), relevant data use is not yet clearly defined and no country has succeeded in interpreting them to develop an automated application. A partnership has been initiated in Belgium between CRA-W, KUL (Catholic University of Leuven) and FUSAGx (Agronomical Faculty of Gembloux) to have a research on that problematic.Objectives
The aim of this project is to develop advanced technology in order to fit farming works to plant needs taking in account of the field heterogeneity. For the four first years, CRA-W give a technical help to partners equipped with machines with sensors and GPS. The objective of the two partners (KUL and FUSAGx) was to find explicative factors of fields heterogeneity. In 2002, CRA-W bought a harvester with yield sensor and GPS. CRA-W tried to develop an approach more agronomical than statistical of the problematic. While the other partners try to find correlations between different factors, CRA-W aim is to delimitate homogeneous areas (yield isopotential areas) in the fields and to evaluate their behaviour while inputs are modulated.Description of tasks
During the four first years, the CRA has to develop the experimental fields procedures in accordance with his partners and to carry out the farming works. His task is also to collect experimental data about soil and plants.For the two last years, CRA-W still take care of the experimental fields used by the other partners, but also make his own experiments in order to collect, organize, and map data about soil, plants and yields. Experiments are mainly devoted to inputs modulation (Nitrogen, sowing density). Experimental designs are defined with the aim to build response curves on different points of the field and must permit to delimitate isopotential areas in the selected fields known for their homogeneity or on the contrary for their apparent heterogeneity.
Expected results
Precision agriculture material and developed procedures must allow thematic maps building. Comparisons between maps will permit to delimitate yield isopotential areas that could receive modulated inputs doses according to their estimated fertility.Results obtained
Collected data have been used to build, on the different experimental fields, observed yield maps, maximum yield expected maps (evaluated by interpolating yield for each density or fertilizing rate) or response curves maps to modulation. However, first analyses seem to show that response of the crop is quite changing one year to another.Partners
FUSAGx (Unit of Mecanic and Construction)KUL (Laboratory of Agromachinery and Processing)
Funding
- SPW - DG Foreign policies
