Remote sensing –Beyond images Mexico 14-15 December 2013 The workshop was organized by CIMMYT Global Conservation Agriculture Program (GCAP) and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), CGIAR Research Program on Maize, the Cereal System Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) and the Sustainable Modernization of the Traditional Agriculture (MasAgro)

1. Various methods of field data
collection and spatial analysis
Alex Melnitchouck, Ph.D.
IntelMax Corp.
Calgary, AB, Canada
www.Zoner.Ag

2. What do these fields have
in common?
The Netherlands
Germany
Alberta, Canada
Indiana, USA
Ukraine
France
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3. Is this field variable?
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4. Is this field variable? (2)
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5. Grid soil sampling
Soil maps are used for calculation of fertilizer rates
Yield goal is determined as an average for the whole field
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6. EC mapping
…not necessarily “Veris” mapping;
Method is based on the relationship between soil EC and
concentration of anions and cations in soil as well as soil
moisture.
It is effective in the regions
where high or low pH and salinity
are main yield limiting factors.
www.Zoner.Ag

7. Optical sensors
Popular in the areas, where most of nitrogen is top-dressed (corn,
winter wheat etc.);
Can be used for top-dressing, targeted application of pesticides ,
soil mapping etc.
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8. Yield data
The concept is based on variability of yield potential across the
field;
Field is divided into several zones with various yield potential;
For each zone, certain fertilizer rate
is planned depending on soil fertility
and yield goals
www.Zoner.Ag

9. What is yield?
• Varieties/Hybrids
• Crop rotation
• Tillage
• Agronomy
• Fertilizer
• Crop protection
• Machinery
etc.
• Soil OM
• N, P, K, S
• H2O
• Ca
• Mg
• Micronutrients
• pH
• GDD
• Slope
• Wind speed & direction
• PAR
…>140 factors
www.Zoner.Ag

10. Yield range
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Yield range:
144.1/28.4*100%=
= 507.4%
Y ie ld, b u /a c re
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5 .0 3 2 - 4 2 . 5 4 1
4 2 .5 4 1 - 7 0 .2 2 4
7 0 .2 2 4 - 9 3 .7 5 1
9 3 .7 5 1 - 1 2 1 .9 8 7
1 2 1 . 9 8 7 - 1 9 9 .8 0 5
www.Zoner.Ag

11. Efficiency of remote sensing
300 km
Similar to yield monitoring,
but way more efficient.
www.Zoner.Ag

12. Zoner.Ag
•
•
•
•
•
•
Automated analysis of satellite imagery for 30 years;
Integration with yield data, elevation, soil EC and other layers;
Delineation of zones and creation of Rx files;
Integrated with global weather data and forecast of diseases;
Land and field productivity assessment;
Web-based.
www.Zoner.Ag

13. We need multi-year data
Year #1
Year #…
Year #…
Year #N
Fertilizer
recommendations
Soil analysis
for each zone
www.Zoner.Ag

14. Fertilize crop, not soil!
Yield is determined by 100+ factors
Rich soil,
High-yielding
Sandy soil
High-yielding
www.Zoner.Ag

15. Integrated layers
• Vegetation Index
• Surface curvature
Clustering
• Soil EC
• Slope
• Aspect
…does it help to manage field better?
www.Zoner.Ag

16. Delineation of zones
≠
Surface curvature
≠
Yield potential
Cluster zones
Regression Summary for Dependent Variable: Yield
R= .21481658 R²= .04614616 Adjusted R²= .04513639
F(8,7557)=45.700 p<0.0000
www.Zoner.Ag

17. Step-by-step interpretation
Field boundary
Elevation
Soil EC
Precision zones
Soil sampling map
Yield map

18. Acknowledgements:
- Matt Gosling – Premium Ag Services
- Doug Mackay – Cervus Corp.
- Consultants from Agri-Trend (Canada)
THANK YOU!
www.Zoner.Ag
Email: Agintelmax@gmail.com
Tel.: +1-403-970-0898
www.Zoner.Ag