Opportunities and constraints for managing within-field spatial variability in Western Australian grain production

Robertson, Michael; Isbister, Bindi; Maling, Ian; Oliver, Yvette; Wong, M. T. F.; Adams, M.; Bowden, Bill; Tozer, Peter R.

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2006.12.013

Cited by 49 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Published Australian studies of economic analysis of VR fertiliser in broadacre grain production include experimental comparisons, case studies of farmers who have adopted the technology, and economic modelling based on both representative and actual farms and fields (Brennan et al 2007;Robertson et al 2007;Robertson et al 2008;Robertson et al 2009). The benefits range from close to zero to around AUD50/ha.…”

Section: Relative Advantagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of authors have speculated on the possible reasons for low/variable adoption of PA technology (Cook and Bramley 2001;Griffin and Lowenberg-DeBoer 2005;Robertson et al 2007Robertson et al , 2009Bramley 2009). There is an extensive body of literature on the diffusion and adoption of innovations in agriculture initiated by Rogers (2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Overviews of the state of PA in Australia have been provided by Cook et al (2000), McBratney et al (2005), McBratney et al (2005), Cook et al (2006), Robertson et al (2007) and Bramley (2009). Precision agriculture can underpin the maintenance of a profitable grains industry (Chen et al 2009) through more cost-effective use of inputs (chemicals, fuel, labour, and machinery), increased yields, and increasing product value through selective harvesting.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Adoption of variable rate fertiliser application in the Australian grains industry: status, issues and prospects

et al. 2011

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Variable rate application of fertiliser (VR) is a practice underpinning a profitable grains industry in Australia. We updated the extent of VR adoption through a national survey (n = 1 130) covering all grain growing regions. Three smaller regionalbased surveys (n = 39-102) collected detailed information on the nature and reasoning behind the use of various forms of the technology. We analysed the constraints to the adoption of each step using adoption theory. Surveys showed that 20% of grain growers have adopted some form of VR (varied from 11-35%), up significantly from \5% found 6 years earlier. Adopters are more than likely to have larger farms with a higher area in cropping. Many non-adopters were convinced of the agronomic and economic benefits of VR. A significant proportion of growers were managing within-field variability with manually-operated systems rather than more sophisticated VR technology, and have adopted some form of VR without yield maps, preferring to use soil tests, electro-magnetic induction or their own knowledge of soil and yield variation to define management. The rate of adoption is expected to continue to rise based on greater awareness of the benefits of the technology. The constraints to adoption were technical issues with equipment and software access to service provision and the incompatibility of equipment with existing farm operations.

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Section: Relative Advantagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Adoption of variable rate fertiliser application in the Australian grains industry: status, issues and prospects

et al. 2011

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“…A compromise to limit the number of yield maps that the agronomist would need to deal with to capture seasonal and spatial variations might be to represent grain yield over a range of season types of interest (for example, see Wong and Asseng 2006b). The use of crop modelling to integrate soil and weather data now helps in managing spatial variability for the specific season in question and anticipated size of crop (Oliver et al 2006;Robertson et al 2007;Stoorvogel and Bouma 2005;Wong et al 2001). Use of gamma-ray spectrometry is relatively new to precision agriculture.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mapping subsoil acidity and shallow soil across a field with information from yield maps, geophysical sensing and the grower

et al. 2008

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Management decisions, such as subsoil liming or varying fertilizer inputs to take account of soil depth and anticipated yields require knowledge of where subsoil constraints to root growth occur across the field. We used selected yield maps based on criteria derived from crop simulation, apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC a ), gammaray emission maps and a soil type map drawn by the grower to predict the spatial distribution of subsoil acidity and shallow soil across a field. Yield maps integrate the effects of variation in soil and climate, and it was only under specific seasonal conditions that subsoil constraints depressed yields. We used crop simulation modelling to select yield maps with a large information content on the spatial distribution of these constraints and to omit those with potentially misleading information. Yield and other spatial data layers were used alone or in combination to develop subsoil mapping options to accommodate differences in data availability, access to precision agriculture techniques and the grower's aptitude and preference. One option used gamma-ray spectrometry and EM38 survey as a dual-sensing system to improve data interpretation. Gamma-ray spectrometry helped to overcome the inability of current EC a -based methods to sense soil depth in highly weathered sandy soil over cemented gravel. A feature of the approaches presented here is the use of grower and agronomist knowledge, and experience to help interpret the spatial data layers and to evaluate which approach is most suitable and likely to be adopted to suit an individual.

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“…Like any other technology, adoption of precision agriculture is affected by a number of factors such as profitability levels compared to current farm practice, adaptability, ease of use, testing capability, ability to identify risks, and social conditions that can improve farmers social competency and provide a chance for participating in the experience (Robertson et al, 2007). It can also be expressed that adopting precision agriculture is not so irrelevant to social issues.…”

Section: Sustainability and Rural Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Precision Agriculture in the Promotion of Food Security

Talebpour¹,

Türker²,

Yegül³

2015

International Journal of Agricultural and Food Research

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Population explosion and the need to provide food for humankind and to increase the quality and quantity of food products in order to ensure food security with regard to its managerial, environmental, and developmental aspects has led to the use of new agriculture methods and technologies. Today, different approaches, such as plant breeding, genetically modified foods, in vitro planting, and the spread of closed ecological systems, are applied as a solution to increase food accessibility. In addition to these methods, using modern technologies under the title of precision agriculture have been proposed as ways to achieve food security. Early intervention to prevent the occurrence of unwanted events with the ability to monitor crops in all stages of production, from tillage to post harvest, are provided by using various methods, such as remote sensing and geographic information systems. In addition to the economic and environmental impacts of precision agriculture, expanding farmers' awareness through the use of modern technologies and the integration of scattered lands to achieve sustainability are known as social impacts of precision agriculture. In this manuscript we have tried to summarize the different methods of precision agriculture that could affect food security in its multiple branches.

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Opportunities and constraints for managing within-field spatial variability in Western Australian grain production

Cited by 49 publications

References 13 publications

Adoption of variable rate fertiliser application in the Australian grains industry: status, issues and prospects

Adoption of variable rate fertiliser application in the Australian grains industry: status, issues and prospects

Mapping subsoil acidity and shallow soil across a field with information from yield maps, geophysical sensing and the grower

The Role of Precision Agriculture in the Promotion of Food Security

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