P ROCESSING I NFORMATION. pre agro - Management System for Precision Agriculture O VERVIEW. Sub-project soil and crop management

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1 I NFORMATION P ROCESSING Project pre agro - Management System for Precision Agriculture Sub-project soil and crop management Project partner: Centre for Agricultural Landscape and Land Use Research (ZALF) e.v., Institute of Land Use Systems and Landscape Ecology, Müncheberg Contact: Dr. Reinhold Roth, Dipl.-Geogr. Jürgen Kühn, Fon: +49 (0) / , rroth@zalf.de Sub-project Soil tillage Project partner: Institute for Production Engineering and Buliding Research of the Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL), Braunschweig Contact: Prof. Dr. Claus Sommer, PD Dr. Hans-Heinrich Voßhenrich, Fon: +49 (0) 5 31 / , vosshenrich@bt.fal.de Sub-project Fertilising Project partner: Centre for Agricultural Landscape and Land Use Research (ZALF) e.v., Institute of Land Use Systems and Landscape Ecology, Müncheberg Contact: Dr. Karl-Otto Wenkel, Dipl.-Ing. Robin Gebbers, Dipl.-Geoökol. Sybille Brozio, Fon: +49 (0) / , sbrozio@zalf.de Sub-project Herbizides, Fungizides, growth regulators Project partner: Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam- Bornim (ATB) e.v., Engineering for Crop Production Contact: Dr. Detlef Ehlert, Dr. Karl-Heinz Dammer, Fon: +49 (0) 3 31 / , kdammer@atb-potsdam.de O VERVIEW The project area information processing forms the integrating level of all sub-projects in preagro. The algorithms the agronomical rules for the derivation of the cultivation measures of site management are developed at this level. The project areas soil, remote sensing and yield potential deliver the siteand stand information as input values. In cooperation with the farm managers, the recommendations which are derived from the algorithms for differentiated tillage, seeding, fertilising, and plant protection measures are implemented on the project farms fields by the practice area. The results are used for the further adaptation and improvement of the algorithms (fig 1). The cultivation principles of site management (in grain growing) will be brought together in a rulebased decision support system. During the project, the following software modules for farms and for multi-farm use will be developed and introduced on the market after the project is complete: Tillage, Seeding rate, Basic fertilising (N, P, K, calcium), N-fertilising, Plant protection (stem stabiliser, herbicides and fungicides). Fig. 1: Basic principles of crop management in the pre agro joint research project (example: winter wheat) Sub-project Software for farms Project partner: AGROCOM GmbH & Co Agrarsysteme KG, Bielefeld Contact: Dr. Stefan Böttinger, Fon: +49 (0) 5 21 / , boettinger@agrocom.com Sub-project Software service contractors Project partner: Agri Con GmbH Precision Farming Company Contact: Dr. Reinhart Schwaiberger, Fon: +49 (0) / 16 38, Jahna, reinhart.schwaiberger@landshut.org Project Coordination Dr. Armin Werner, Centre for Agricultural Landscape and Land Use Research (ZALF) e.v., Institute of Land Use Systems and Landscape Ecology, Eberswalder Straße 84, Müncheberg, Fon: +49 (0) / , landnutzung@zalf.de

2 I NFORMATION P ROCESSING C ROP M ANAGEMENT The objective of the sub-project crop management is the efficient use of the spatially differentiated, reliably estimated yield potential (see yield potential info sheet) of the project fields. This requires the coordinated collaboration of the measure-oriented sub-projects of the project area information processing. Special requirements for the further development of integrated plant cultivation arise from the necessity to manage heterogeneous plant stands. As a general rule, crop management comprises two different levels: The establishment and development of plans for crop management measures at the sub-system level before the beginning of implementation, based on the yield potential of a sub-plot and Exerting operative influence on current conditions and "situations" through adaptation, balancing, and projection based on a current annual, situationdependent yield goal for a sub-plot. Permanent tasks in this area include the development of the measures required for the indivdual goals to be met and their sequencing according to the schedule. a b c d e f Fig. 2: Autobahn plot, Raesfeld site (Beckum), winter wheat 2000, Muensterlaender Tieflandsbucht, fieldsize: 22,6 ha, soil quality number of German Soil Inventory: 30-52, 45 To date, site-specific seeding, nitrogen fertilising and the adapted use of growth regulators on experimental sites have been tested in the crop management subproject according to the described principles. Figure 2 shows the principle of the methodological approach. In this figure, the polygons (management units) serve as examples of site-specific seeding, nitrogen fertilising in four applications, and the use of growth regulators. A further important sub-area for the examination of the whole precision agriculture system is the coordination of soil- and crop management. Today, the latter is already being fundamentally influenced by appropriate tillage (soil management). T ILLAGE The tillage and cultivation sub-project of the FAL broke new ground by tackling site-specific tillage. Tillage optimised for a specific site is supposed to make a contribution towards cost reduction by cutting down energy consumption and work time. A further goal is the avoidance of harmful soil compaction and the prevention of soil erosion. At the beginning, the first implement of its kind worldwide was built which allows tillage working depth to be varied during the ride. The prototype, a 3 m wide combination of a highly variable pre-loosening tool, a rotary cultivator and a V ring roller was designed in cooperation with Amazonen-Werke. Meanwhile a second prototype, a drawn tillage implement with a working width of 6 m, has been specially built (fig. 3) for use on large farms. Four lifting cylinders provide the chisel-loosening shears of the cultivator with a variable working depth of maximum 25 cm. The rules for site-specific tillage state that soil needs to be loosened when unfavourable growth conditions for plant roots (compaction, lack of oxygen) occur. This is often the case at sandy locations with a tendency towards compaction, on soils with a poor structure or heavily water-influenced soil types, such as gley and pseudogley. The algorithm developed uses different information levels for the derivation of tillage depths for different field areas. From the German soil inventory ( Reichsbodenschätzung ), soil form maps, conductivity measurements, and the relief, sites are derived (see soil info sheet) which are loosened more deeply than others because of their soil type, structure or water influence. Map a) seeding mass (kgn ha -1 ) b) 1 st Nitrogen application, (kgn ha -1 ) c) 2 nd N-application, (kgn ha -1 ) d) 3 rd N-application, part A (kgn ha -1 ) e) 3 rd N-application, part B, (kgn ha -1 ) f) stem stabilizers application (ICCC ha -1 ) Area 1: regular farm variant Area 2: site-specific variant Area 3: forest Fig. 3: Prototypeof a tool for site-specific soil tillage

3 Project T ILLAGE M ODULE Regulating variable: Tillage depth of passive tillage (8-25 cm) Input values: German soil inventory (soil fertility index) Soil type Terrain (DTM) Water balance Drainage site Environmental quality targets Site-differentiated tillage was tested with the first prototype on two plots of the Groß-Twülpstedt site in For comparability s sake, the fields were divided up into plots with conventional and differentiated tillage (fig. 4). Plant evaluation at several monitoring points showed slightly different rates of field emergence which, however, must be attributed to the individual soil conditions. Both the number of ear-bearing stems and the yields exhibit high heterogeneity. The overall result on both sides, however, is comparable (tab. 1). Even on the second plot, the intentional omission of deep tillage did not have a negative effect. In December 2000, the energy requirements for superficial (8-10 cm) and deep (25 cm) tillage were determined for the above- described prototype. For this purpose, a strip experiment with four measurement rides was carried out on a field which was still trafficable at that time. The measurement values show that tractive forces and fuel demands can be halved by switching from deep to superficial tillage. Under practical conditions, the extent of the savings largely depends on the relative share of superficial tillage within a site. Locations with a small percentage of sites which need loosening this is often the case in areas with a pronounced relief offer the largest savings potential with regard to energy consumption and technical requirements. Conventionally, these sites are usually Monitoring point Cultivation depth flat flat flat deep deep deep Plant emergence (Pl. m -2 ) Standard deviation Plant emegence (%) Ear-bearing stems (m -2 ) Standard deviation Yield (dt ha -1 ) Standard deviation Table 1: Plant density and manual harvest yields at six monitoring points tilled deeply. Research at the "Kesselbrink" site will be continued so that long-term effects can be described. The sites which will be integrated into the experimental programme in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year of the trials will be tilled for one year, as planned. Currently, the question is being examined as to what extent the algorithm for varying working depths can be improved by including further information sources. The inclusion of terrain simulation as well as aerial photographs is planned. The energy measurements underway will be continued and extended. S EEDING The crop management sub-project is developing a concept for stand formation oriented towards yield potential. The working hypothesis is that for the realization of widely varying yield potential, adapted seeding rates are more suitable than uniform rates. For this approach, an algorithm was developed which allows the seeding mass for winter wheat to be calculated depending on the yield target (see box). The experience and the site knowledge of the farmer, along with information on cultivation planning and seed conditions, are decisive for the estimation of the yield target of the individual sites. This information is requested with the aid of the software module s user interface (fig. 10). The calculation begins with the yield target and leads back to the values estimated on the basis of this information, i.e. the ear index, plant losses in the winter as well as field emergence and, finally, to the seeding mass which will probably be required. Fig. 4: Yield map of the Kesselbrink field (Groß-Twülpstedt) with site-specific (upper part) and conventional (lower part) cultivation

4 I NFORMATION P ROCESSING S EEDING M ODULE - WINTER W HEAT Regulating variable: Seeding mass ( kg ha -1 ) Input values: Yield potential: - Soil fertility index (Reichsbodenschätzung) - Annual precipitation - Texture, soil type - Substrate genesis Site information: - Geographic region - Terrain type, terrain characteristics - Humus content, stone content, structure, soil type of topsoil Cultivation data / Seed bed condition: - variety (variety type, quality, charakteristics) - Plant losses (winter kill rate) - Preliminary crop group - Field emergence rate - Seed (germinability, thousand grain weight) - Seed bed values according to site - Seed date - Soil moisture at seeding time bold: obligatory input values normal: optional input values for more exact agreement A first version of the algorithm which provides the basis for the seeding module was tested in 1999 and 2000 on 33 wheat plots in different regions of Germany. For this purpose, 118 polygons of various seed mass were established. Table 2 shows an example of results from the project farm for two years. The available monitoring results show that site-specific seeding adapted to a specific yield target can be realized in principle. Hence, it has been proven that the management of heterogeneous crop stands can be based on plant densities adapted to the yield target. This provides considerably better preconditions for the differentiated use of nitrogen fertiliser and growth regulators. In the coming months, the crop management and seeding sub-project will work more intensively on crop management as a whole. The goal is to develop an algorithm for the correlation between agronomical sub-systems (i.e. their sequence and interaction) as a basis for decision aid systems. At the same time, the practical use and testing of the seeding algorithm will continue. F ERTILISING Together with crop management, decision rules for site-specific fertilising form the core of an agronomically oriented management system for precision agriculture. For this purpose, suitable methods and decision models are being developed in the fertilising sub-project, which are tested on the pre agro project farms in association with other sub-projects. The latest results of the VDLUFA as well as industrial developments are included in these developments (uniform Germany-wide nutrient limits for the content class C coupled with fertilising recommendations, a hydro N sensor as a basis for N use optimising). At the same time, environmental and nature conservation goals will be integrated to a larger extent into the new procedures for the site-specific control of nutrient application. The methods and models for nitrogen- and basic fertilising are significantly different with regard to their operationality. While basic fertilising (P, K, Mg, calcium) is predominantly soil-related reserve fertilisation, nitrogen fertilising forms the essential core of operative crop management. Nitrogen fertilisation enables the plant stand to be influenced and controlled in a goal-oriented way. The N fertilising module developed to date (pre agro N) involves a system in which recommendations for site-specific N-fertilising in several partial applications are calculated based on the current soil- and crop stand situation. Table 2: Results of the site-specific seeding of winter wheat at the Raesfeld/Beckum site in the years 1999 and 2000 Plot variety / pre- Seed date Yield goal Seed amount Seed pl. set Seed plants act. liminary crop (t ha -1 ) (Körner m -2 ) (Pl. m -2 ) (Pl. m -2 ) Autobahn Batis A, Winter rape büb Hagelsberg Batis A, Beans büb Autobahn Batis A, Winter wheat Tühlig Maverick B; Winter rape

5 Project N-FERTILISING In practice, many different kinds of N-fertilising strategies and -techniques are applied: intensive fertilising with up to four partial applications, more extensive N- fertilising with usually two partial applications, injection fertilising or fertilising with ammonium or N- fertiliser with nitrification inhibitors (1 to 2 partial applications). Each strategy and technique needs specially designed decision-support systems. The following techniques for the site-specific control of N- application are being intensively worked on in the pre agro project: Complex N-balance model: offline-approach (see box) Hydro-N-Sensor, coupled with thematic maps (soil characteristics, nature and environmental conservation goals etc.): online-approach with map overlay Dynamic soil nitrogen and recommendation models: offline-approach. For all three procedures, solutions for winter wheat, winter barley and winter rape have been developed and tested on the pre agro-project farms. At almost all locations, the derivation rules developed allowed the yields achieved with the variants usually applied on the farm to be reached or, in some cases, exceeded in the first full test year. Fig 6 shows that, in the harvest year 2000, the N balance for the PA3 and PA4 management units on the Autobahn plot (location Raesfeld) was significantly more balanced as compared with the variant usually applied on the farm. Despite reduced N application on the sites PA1 and PA2, high yields were achieved. In this case, the yield estimate deviates considerably from the yield N-FERTILISER MODULE - WINTERWHEAT Regulating variables: 1. N-appl.: max. 70 kg N ha -1 up to BBCH N-appl.: max. 100 kg N ha -1 inc. BBCH 31 and 33 (application division N-need > 80 kg N ha -1 ) 3. N-appl.: A: max. 80 kg N ha -1 betw. BBCH 37 and 39 (Splitting depending on production target, current yield expectation and soil wetness) B: max. 60 kg N ha -1 betw. BBCH 49 and 51 Input values: General information for plot/sub-plot - Yield potential - Soil type - Terrain (DTM) - Production target (variety type, quality type) - Preliminary crop group Application-specific information for 1st application: - BBCH-Stage - N min - Stocking - Plant density - Weather spring and winter for 2nd and 3rd application: - BBCH-Stage - Plant density - Nutrition situation (N-Tester or visual) - 2nd appl.: Date of shooting - 3. appl.: Health condition/weed infestation Visible dry stress May precipitation Site description - long term conditions Soil maps Potential yield Fertilizing algorithm Fig. 5: Basic principle of the calculation of N-fertilising recommendations according to the balance model (pre agro N) + Siten description - current situation Soil nitrogen content Plant conditions and nitrogen content Results Appilcation map + Further informations Weather conditions State of health Previous crop Weed density N-fertilizing recommendation (kg/ha):

6 I NFORMATION P ROCESSING Fig. 6: N-balance of winter wheat on the Autobahn field, Raesfeld (Beckum) in 2000 calculated based on N-fertilising-N-extraction (according to a raw protein analysis). Left: the variant usually applied on the farm and the management units PA 1 - PA 4 with differentiated cultivation actually reached. This also explains the high N extraction by the harvest. The balance model was modified based on the results of the project year (increased consideration of N supply, etc.) and is now available for implementation in a software module. By the end of the project lifespan, the fertilising subproject intends to reach the following goals: Wide use on preagro-project farms in 2002, Inclusion of other crops in addition to winter wheat, Research into how spatial variation in stand development can be better taken into consideration by evaluating aerial photographs and whether or not this provides advantages, Consideration of new fertilising techniques which reduce the number of fertiliser applications (e.g. stabilised fertilisers), Combination of the hydro-n-sensor with N-balance algorithms, Use of dynamic soil nitrogen models with reduced parameter sets. conditions, to allow for flexibility of the algorithms, and to provide openness to further development. The following points of the VDLUFA standard methods have been modified: Algorithmic expression of the VDLUFA regulations, Consideration of the new limits for the content class C, adaptation of the remaining classes, Development of continuous functions for soil balance fertilisation, Special consideration of subsoil fertility (nutrient content of the subsoil), Increased consideration of farm management- and environmental protection goals, Possibility of adaptation to farm- and plot-specific nutrient-yield relations, Inclusion of new data sources for precision agriculture (yield and soil maps, terrain models, remote sensing data etc.), Software ergonomics: transparent algorithms and maximum possibility of intervention. The new or further developed algorithms apply to different crops (i.e. they can be used at the level of the whole farm). Currently, the algorithms are being implemented in dialogue-oriented software. Fig 7 shows the principle diagram of the basic fertilising algorithms. With regard to basic fertilising, the subproject is currently focusing on the preconditions for Yield goal Nutrient input due to organic and mineral fertilization Nutrient export by harvesting Prognosis of nutrient demand Balance of nutrient input and removal since the last soil nutrient analysis Variety, quality Nutrient content of crop residues Mineralization of organic fertilizers and residues B ASIC F ERTILISING The calculation of fertilising recommendations for the basic nutrients P, K, Mg, and lime in Germany are based on the research and recommendations of the VDLUFA. Last, but not least, this is a result of the 100 year tradition of the VDLUFA in soil research and fertilisation counselling. Meanwhile, the association has made intensive efforts aiming at standardised soilnutrient examination and appropriate methods of analysis in order to develop comparable recommendation algorithms for all of Germany. The results and agreements reached provide the basis for the further methodical development of the algorithms for the specific requirements of site-specific basic fertilising. The modules developed in the project, which need to be improved further, have been designed such that it becomes possible to make the calculations easy to understand, to adapt the parameters to special farm Soil map (texture, organic mater) Potential of leaching and erosion Levelling soil specific, optimum nutrient content Adjustment for reasons of economy and environmental protection Recommendation for P, K, Mg and lime Fig. 7: The pre agro basic fertilising algorithm Nutrient content, ph of topsoil and subsoil Economic strategy the application of multi-nutrient fertiliser and the integration of economic decision criteria for site-specific, differentiated basic fertilsing. A further goal is the development of solutions for a more efficient soilnutrient sampling system with reduced requirements which includes geo-data from the entire area.

7 Project P LANT P ROTECTION In addition to the expenditure, plant protection always causes the input of chemical substances into the ecosystem. A demand-oriented application of plant protection products on a field can lead to a significant reduction in the use of chemical substances. If, in addition, a field is inhomogeneous with regard to pathogen infestation and the growth conditions for the individual crop, this provides the basis for the site-specific application of plant protection products. Fig. 8: Sensor values (number of weed m -2 ) for site-specific herbicide application in real time (Winter rye, ) Abb. 9: Flow amount (l ha -1 ) during site-specific herbizide application in real time (Winter rye, ) The basis for the site-specific quantification of the application of fungicides and late growth regulators is the plant surface to be covered by the plant spray (target area). The pendulum sensor used is deflected by the grain stand s bending resistance. As a result of the proven correlation of the pendulum angle with the values of the leaf surface index, target area quantification becomes possible. This form of application quantity regulation allows plant protection products to be saved in poorly developed plant stands. For the early use of growth regulators (e.g. chlormequat), the developing plant density is of crucial importance. Plant density is mainly determined by the soil value number (German soil inventory), relief parameters, and the climatic average of the region s annual precipitation. In the management zones which result from the seeding maps of the crop management sub-project, the application quantities could be increased or reduced depending on the Nmin-content in spring, planned nitrogen fertilising, and the crop variety characteristics. If, in addition, the type of chemicals is taken into account, an application map is the result. The decision algorithms for site-specific fungicide use and late growth stimulator applications (e.g. Ethephon, Trinexapac) are derived from the local target area. This is considered a possible basis for the apportioning of quantities because the sensor-based, site-related recording of fungal pathogens is currently impossible. Nevertheless, the adaptation of the application quantities is only worthwhile if growth differences can be observed in the year under consideration. Therefore, large-scale recording of the current target area is essential. In cooperation with the crop information sub-project, the decision criteria in the module are derived from the results of the pendulum sensor calibration experiments and the aerial photographs, along with other factors. S OFTWARE In the herbicide, fungicide and growth regulator subproject, sensors are used in order to adapt the quantity of plant protection products applied to weed infestation (herbicides) or the plant surface (fugicides and late growth regulator application) in real-time operation. The conversion of the signal value of the opto-electronic weed sensor into the number of weed plants m -2 (fig. 8) allows for the site-specific implementation of the damage threshold principle when applying herbicides. For control purposes, the different application quantities are shown on a site-specific application map (fig. 9). The essential goal of the preagro project is the integration of the developed algorithms into a management system. Implementation in software modules, which is supposed to make site-specific management significantly easier for the user, is being carried out by the software operations and software service contractor sub-projects.

8 Project In the software operations sub-project, software solutions for mobile use and for work in the farmer s office are being developed which Allow for and support the use of precision agriculture on the individual farms, Support the whole agricultural business process in plant production, Provide consistent data systems, Have a simple user interface for mobile and office applications like the current Office packages and Can integrate various expert modules (based on results of the sub-projects). The interfaces for precision agriculture PC software have been developed further. The use and the testing of various components within the project require the import of external data formats. To meet this prerequisite, further import- and export interfaces in the PC software have been realized. To simplify the coupling of on-board computers and mounted implements from a large number of different manufacturers, the interfaces available on the market were harmonised based on DIN 9684 (LBS - Landwirtschaftliches Bussystem = agricultural bus system) parts 3 and 4 (see practice info sheet). Through these harmonisation efforts, it was possible to initiate a discussion with the most important users of this part of the standard and to develop a common interpretation of the standard under the designation LBS+. The basics of an interface between PC software and expert modules have been worked out. They are based on a standard interface in the computer area (OLE 2) and could therefore be used by any software package. The implementation of the above mentioned interface will be tested on farms. Revisions and improvements of software solutions ready for practical application will become available in the future. Within the cooperative project, the American software SSToolbox (Basis Arc-View) serves as a platform which allows for the technical implementation of practice-relevant results of pre-agro including an application map. The "software service contractor sub-project adapts this platform to the needs of service providers. Machinery rings, contractors, and special service providers are increasingly becoming the predestined users of precision agriculture. The main reasons for this development are: High procurement costs for precision agriculture technology The possibility of central data processing by service providers, The possibility of concentrating the necessary specialised knowledge (personnel). Thus far, however, only a few specialised farms have managed to draw financial profits from these structural advantages. There are no technically mature solutions for multi-farm machinery use and, in particular, no software which would make it possible for service providers to take over data management functions for clients. Due to higher unit numbers, most agricultural software products are oriented towards the farmer as a client. In addition to sound agronomical expertise, precision agriculture in particular requires substantial investment in multi-farm data management, be it in information acquisition, the processing of site-specific information, or the storage of such data. The main task of the sub-project is to realize the functions required for mass data processing based on the SSToolbox. This requires radical redisigning of the existing user interface including an automated program which is able to carry out fully and semi-automatic data processing operations, such as import, registration and storage of data. The work of the service provider can thus be concentrated on the agronomical content and counselling, while storage- and documentation processes largely run independently. In addition to data management functions, agronomical fundamentals are supposed to be filed in the form of a module in the SSToolbox program. This allows the grain production process to be reproduced by the main modules seeding, fertilising and plant protection. The required technical content is provided by the preagro sub-projects. As a first element for plant cultivation, a seeding rate calculation module for winter wheat has been integrated (fig. 10). Fertilising- and plant protection modules based on the algorithms described above are in development. Fig. 10: User interface of module for calculation of site-differentiated seeding rate