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Myths of precision farming, part 2By D. Bruce Bosley CSU Extension Agent, cropping systems This article identifies and addresses some common myths about precision farming. It is the second part of a series. Transcripts of the complete series are available on request. MYTH 1: Precision farming is grid sampling. Grid sampling was among the first methods that the precision farming community (i.e., early adaptors) used in mapping field fertility variability. However, precision farming does not rely on or even require grid sampling. Precision farming can do precisely and accurately: 1. Identify variability and its cause, 2. Quantify variability and its scale, 3. Record variability through fields, 4. Map variability so that it can be managed. Grid soil sampling is only one such technique of quantifying variability. However, there are many other less expensive techniques available. Grid sampling involves taking soil samples at a regular interval. For example, four to 10 samples for every 10 acres are taken. Grid sampling determines where nutrient deficiencies are in the field. Variable-rate fertilizer recommendations are made based on the grid sampling results. Early on, however, it was realized that grid sampling would be too expensive to be widely adopted. To lower the costs and the amount of time and labor required for grid sampling, crop consultants began taking fewer samples per field. This caused the accuracy of the prescription maps to suffer. Progress has been made since then in identifying and evaluating alternative ways of quantifying in-field variability. Farmers and ag scientists have both studied variability of soil and crop parameters that influence crop yields. Currently there are several precision farming tools and techniques of varying input that do not involve grid sampling. These include, but are not limited to, the following: --site-specific management zones, --remote sensing, --apparent soil electrical conductivity measurements, --yield mapping, --smart sampling. In fact, many of these methods were developed specifically to replace grid sampling. These methods run the gambit from low-tech and inexpensive to state-of-the-art sensors that can detect the nutrient status of a crop and vary the rate of fertilizer or other input on the go. Agriculture has moved a long way from expensive grid sampling in all but a few special situations where high priced crops can benefit from the detail and afford the costs. Please contact me about this or other cropping systems or natural resource topics at 970-522-3200, extension 285 in Sterling or 970-542-3540 in Fort Morgan. 10/20/08 Date: 10/15/08 Advertisement
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