Improving the congruency of satellite-based fertilizer maps with field-operable units using pneumatic spreaders

Maximilian Lösch, Urs Schmidhalter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The dramatically increasing nitrogen fertiliser prices and growing environmental awareness emphasise the need to optimise machine operability to avoid double overlapping of the target dose rate in different field units, including headlands and field bodies, to be more congruent with satellite-based nitrogen prescription maps. However, the map grids frequently do not correspond with farmers’ management practices, specifically machine operability. To this end, this study develops an algorithm that subdivides any given field into operable units by considering pneumatic spreaders based on the actual tramline on the field and placing the operable units along with this. The newly developed algorithm allows ex-ante specification of the required fertiliser amount. It shows how well such techniques can implement an optimised application map supported by the statistical information for each field unit. Uniform fertilizer application can further be compared with variable rate application (VRA) as well as machinery with and without section control, allowing the identification of areas with the greatest deviation and the excess amount of nitrogen applied. A more precise nitrogen application on both homogeneous or heterogeneous field units saves nitrogen and decreases the negative environmental impact.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1312-1332
Number of pages21
JournalPrecision Agriculture
Volume24
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2023

Keywords

  • Algorithm
  • Fertiliser
  • Field contour
  • Nitrogen
  • Overlapping
  • Satellite imagery
  • Site-specific management
  • Variable rate

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