Soil/BAE 4213
Topics in Precision Agriculture
Syllabus-Spring 2003
Class Times and Location:M-W, 1:30 to 2:20 in Room 202, Ag Hall
F, 1:30 to 2:20 in Room 225, Ag Hall (This may be rescheduled to room 202)
Instructors:Dr.BillRaun, Plant and Soil Sciences
Dr.JohnSolie, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Guest Lecturers: Dr.GordonJohnson, Plant and Soil Sciences
Dr.MarvinStone, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Dr. Hailin Zhang, Plant and Soil Sciences
Course Objectives:This course will examine current and developing technologies in the precision agriculture and site-specific management. The course will introduce students to the theory and practices of a rapidly changing technology, and it will help prepare them research and practice in this area.
Structure: This is principally a lecture course there will be some outside activities to introduce the students to some of the equipment and tools used in site-specific management. Outside exercises will be arranged to meet students’ schedules.
Requirements: Students should be seniors or graduate. Students should be experienced in using ExcelTm.
Text: The Precision-Farming Guide for Agriculturists by Morgan and Ess.
Class notes posted on the Internet at “
Grades: Grades will be determined on the basis of quizzes, homework and outside exercises, an oral presentation, and final examinations using the following distribution of points:
Category / Percentage of GradeQuizes, homework, and outside exercises / 30 %
Student Presentation / 30 %
Final Examination / 40 %
The number and content of quizes, homework, and outside exercises will be determined by each instructor. Grades will be assigned on the following basis, however the instructors reserve the right to adjust the scale as needed: A 90-100; B 80-89; C 70-79, D 60-69; F< 60.
Oral Presentation: Each student will be expected to prepare a presentation on some aspect of site-specific management. The presentation will be oral with supporting PowerPoint slides. You will select your topic. We will work with you on presentation preparation and placing the presentation on our Web site.
Final Examination: 2:00 – 3:50 pm, Friday, May 9, 2003
The following is preliminary schedule of topics. We will be modifying and changing topics during the semester. Please note that the mid term examination is not on the schedule, but will be given during the eighth week of classes.
Schedule
Class / Date / Topic / Description / Lecturer1 / 13-Jan / Introduction / Course review and introduction of issues related to site-specific management / Solie
2 / 15-Jan / Inherent and acquired field variability / Introduction to nutrient management. Discussion of the sources and differences between inherent and acquired field variability (macro-scale) and their influences on yield response to production inputs. Review influence of soil forming factors on morphology / Solie
3 / 17-Jan / Inherent and acquired field variability – Cont’d / Solie
4 / 20-Jan / M. L. King Birthday / No-class
5 / 22-Jan / Statistical description of variability in agricultural fields / Review descriptive statistics mean, median, maximum, standard deviation, coefficient of variation. Apply these statistics to spatially variable agronomic data sets / Solie
6 / 24-Jan / Statistical basis for random and grid sampling / Introduction to the statistical basis for random and fixed interval (Grid) sampling. Analysis of the effects of these strategies on values of the agronomic variables / Solie
7 / 27-Jan / Statistical basis for random and grid sampling – cont’d / Solie
8 / 29-Jan / Grid and Zone Sampling / Analysis grid and management zone sampling from an agronomic perspective. Examples of appropriate and inappropriate applications of these strategies / Zhang
9 / 31-Jan / Landscape Topography and Soil Types / Importance of topography and position relative to yield potential / Raun
10 / 3-Feb / Introduction to Global Positioning Systems / Description of existing systems and discussion of how they work. / Stone
11 / 5-Feb / Introduction to Global Positioning Systems / Field exercise / Stone
12 / 7-Feb / Introduction to Global Positioning Systems / DGPS techniques, standard data exchange, different correction strategies with advantages, disadvantages, costs / Stone
13 / 10-Feb / Introduction to Geostatistics / Concepts, uses, applications. Concept of population, mean, variation, and relatedness. / Solie
14 / 12-Feb / Introduction to Geostatistics / Semivariograms – construction and interpretation. / Solie
15 / 14-Feb / Introduction to Geostatistics / Applications to imagery, grain yields, and soil nutrients / Solie
16 / 17-Feb / History of Indirect Measures for Detecting Nutrient Status / Chlorophyll meters, NIR / Raun
17 / 19-Feb / Absorption Spectra for Plants and Soils / Relation of absorption of radiant energy by plants on chemical processes within plants. Describe radiant absorption by soils. Present resulting spectra. / Stone/Raun
18 / 21-Feb / Optical sensors / OSU NTech Sensor / Discussion of natural lighting (passive) optical sensors, active lighting optical sensors / Stone
19 / 24-Feb / Other sensors / Veris (EC), ground penetrating radar, etc. / Stone
20 / 26-Feb / Bray and Mitscherlich response models and Yield Potential / Understand the relationship of realistic yield goal and crop N requirement. Understand the influence of P, K, and pH levels on yield potential and N crop requirement / Raun
21 / 28-Feb / Soil/Plant Analysis / Sensor based technologies as a replacement for soil testing. Significance of the philosophy behind soil testing and its influence on sensor based technologies. Role of Bray’s mobility concept relative to sensors. Importance of subsoil nutrient availability. / Raun
22 / 3-Mar / Role of Organic C and Soil Texture / Using indirect measures of organic C and soil texture to refine yield potential / Raun
23 / 5-Mar / Correlation/Calibration/
Recommendations / Steps involved in taking indirect measures of nutrient status, e.g. optical sensing, to a nutrient recommendation. Role of statistical models in interpreting response. / Raun
24 / 7-Mar / Interfering (confounding) factors affecting use of sensors / Identify interfering agronomic factors that will interfere with optical sensor measurements as indirect measures of nutrient status / Raun
25 / 10-Mar / Resolution and Yield Potential / Relationship between yield potential and resolution. Affect of sampling date on measurements / Raun
26 / 12-Mar / Response Index / Use of response index (RI) to predict fertilizer response. Role of RI in determining the nutrient application rate. / Raun
27 / 14-Mar / Analyzing and Displaying Spatial Data / Introduction to Geographical Information Systems (GIS). / Solie
17-Mar – 21-Mar / Spring Break
28 / 24-Mar / Analyzing and Displaying Spatial Data / Conducting analyses and making recommendations with GIS / Solie
29 / 26-Mar / Analyzing and Displaying Spatial Data / Conducting analyses and making recommendations with GIS / Solie
30 / 28-Mar / Analyzing and Displaying Spatial Data / Mapping with the OSU/NTech Sensor / Solie
31 / 31-Mar / Remote Sensing / Overview of Satellite and Aerial Imagery / Solie
32 / 2-Apr / Remote Sensing / Role of satellite and aerial remote sensing in site-specific management / Solie
33 / 4-Apr / Harvester Yield Mapping / How is it done and what are the limitations? / Solie
34 / 7-Apr / Yield Mapping / Error and resolution / Solie
35 / 9-Apr / Mechanisms for Varying Application Rate / How can we accurately and precisely vary application rates of liquid, granular, and gas? / Solie
36 / 11-Apr / Field measurements of RI, Yield Potential, and Development of Recommendations / Development of recommendations using field data / Raun
37 / 14-Apr / Algorithms / Understanding the need for different algorithms for different crops / Raun
38 / 16-Apr / Spatial and Temporal Variability / Demonstrated changes in variable growth, CV’s and mean NDVI / Raun
39 / 18-Apr / Economics of Variable Rate Nutrient Application / Analysis of benefits of varying nutrients at high resolution with on-the-go sensing (Farmer Field Verification) / Raun/Johnson
40 / 21-Apr / Student Presentations
41 / 23-Apr / Student Presentations
42 / 25-Apr / Student Presentations
43 / 28-Apr / Student Presentations
44 / 30-Apr / Student Presentations
45 / 2-May / Student Presentations
9-May / Final Examination / 2:00-3:50 pm Room 202, Ag Hall