UGENT&AGRISAT_EU_Pilot_3
EU Pilot 3
UGENT & AGRISAT
The Pilot consists of three main farms in Belgium as follows:Bayer Forward Farm (centre of Belgium), Delanoye-De Moeren farm (West of Belgium, near the Northern sea) and Culsol Farm located in the East of Belgium
THE CURRENT SITUATION
Farming input resources are being managed by majority of farmers using the traditional methods, by which fertilisers, tillage, water for irrigation, seeds and manure are applied uniformly over the entire field area. However, due to the spatial and temporal variability that exits in the vast majority of agricultural fields, uniform rate applications frequently lead to mismanagement of the resources across different parts of a field. Some parts will receive over-applications than the crop actual requirement and response leading to negative environmental impacts and extra cost of extra input applied, with little or no improvement in crop growth and yield. Other parts might receive under-application rates than the crop needs, often leading to poor crop growth and yield and subsequently undesired economic loss.
The current and emerging innovation demands:
With advances in sensing, modelling and control, precision management of farming input resources is possible. Precision management of farm input resources refers to the application of the right rate of input in the right place and time using an integrated solution of sensing, modelling and control technologies. With all advances made in the technology development for precision agriculture applications, the adoption rate by farmers lags behind. This is the most appealing issue that should be tackled so that the investment in precision agriculture can bring these technologies into the farmers hand. However, there are several issues that hinders the adoption. Although profitability is the main derive for farmers to adopt the technology, environmental benefits and sustainability that can be achieved by precision agriculture is another factor that of interest to the farmer but of ultimate interest to the policy makers. In order to promote the adoption of soil related site specific management solutions, advance research using advance technologies and solutions is needed to provide concrete results on potential agronomic, socio-economic, environmental benefits.
PILOT SOLUTION
Some precision agriculture service providers e.g. TalkingFields (funded by European Space Agency’s Integrated Applications Promotion (IAP) and Farm Star (backed by European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), Astrium's Infoterra Global and Arvalis) rely on remote sensing data for crop measurement, where no information about the spatial variation in soil properties is considered. Other precision agriculture service providers (e.g. SOYLSense (http://www.soyl.co.uk/), and FarmImage (http://www.farmimage.co.uk/, etc), combine manual sampling and traditional laboratory analyses with proximal soil sensing based on geophysical methods to measure soil electrical conductivity (e.g., electromagnetic induction (EMI) or electrical resistivity to produce recommendation maps for site-specific fertilization. The EMI tools provide maps of soil variability without a quantitative estimation of soil properties. The norm is the latter competing services, which rely on collecting of 1 average soil sample per hectare and develop fertilizer recommendations, ignoring soil variability at a smaller scale than 1 hectare. The traditional methods of soil analyses are expensive, time-consuming and allow for limited sampling resolution, which is not sufficient to explore within-field variation in soil properties. The UGent technology is able to take thousands of point measurements per hectare, using their on-line multi-sensor platform (consisting on a visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy sensor, a compaction sensor and a gamma-ray sensor), mounted on a tine that is drawn across the field, and directly estimate soil properties from these measurements to provide much more detailed and reliable field maps about within-field variations in soil properties. These properties include organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), pH, moisture content (MC), phosphorous (P), cation exchange capacity (CEC), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca). Other precision agriculture service providers rely solely on data on crop characteristics to develop fertilization recommendations e.g. for N, ignoring the within-field variability in soil characteristics. These crop data are provided with proximal or remote sensing assets. Therefore, the commercial opportunity presented for the UGent technology is by the integration of detailed information on soil and crop to enable N fertilization recommendations to be developed to respond to the fine-scale (<1 ha) variation in soil fertility exist in the majority of agricultural fields. Similarly, recommendations for K and P fertilization will be made based on the measured K and P values, respectively, measured with the multi-sensor platform. These recommendations will be provided at high resolution, much larger than 1 sample per ha.
Documentation
Documentation
PILOT CHALLENGES (CONTEXT)
Farmers do not utilize precision agricultural technologies and in particular variable rate applications including variable-rate fertilization and site-specific tillage.
PILOT OBJECTIVES
Implement experimental plots trial to compare variable rate versus homogeneous rate N, P, and K fertilization.
Test the viability and technology potential to implement site-specific tillage.
PILOT INNOVATIONS
The use of advanced sensing, modeling and data mining, and control technology for site-specific N, P, and K fertilization to increase crop yield at reduced input cost, and reduced environmental impact. The innovation will also include the use of a novel multi-sensor data fusion based soil compaction sensor for site-specific tillage. The sensor can measure bulk density across the field.
UGENT&AGRISAT_col
Pilot response to SIEUSOIL objectives
table
Stakeholder Requirements
This pilot will establish an integrated solution for variable rate fertilisation of N, P and K. It will relay on the fusion of data on soil using the UGent on-line soil sensor, crop normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) retrieved from satellite images, present and historical yield and weather conditions (if available). This data fusion approach is implemented in map-based variable rate applications. If the approach evaluated as being profitable to the farmers with reduced environmental impacts, it will be offered commercially to end users through a spin-off company to be established by UGent.
Current Scenario
Farming input resources are being managed by majority of farmers using the traditional methods, by which fertilisers, tillage, water for irrigation, seeds and manure are applied uniformly over the entire field area. More advanced farmers implement variable rate technologies at commercial scales to vary the amount of input according to the soil status and crop requirement. They implement variable rate approach with support from service providers. The current soil sensing technology used in Belgium for variable rate (VR) applications is the one adopted by Soil Survey of Belgium and Agrometius (https://www.vantage-agrometius.nl/producten). They use a commercially available on-line soil sensor (Veris, USA) to measure and map soil pH, organic carbon (OC) and electrical resistivity. Soil scanning is then followed by targeted soil sampling and laboratory analyses to determine available nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). The traditional methods of soil analyses are expensive, time-consuming and allow for limited sampling resolution, which is not sufficient to explore within-field variation in soil properties.
Envisioned Scenario
The proposed approach can be realized in 2 ways:
- It will utilise an innovative on-line (tractor driven) visible and near infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy-based multi-sensor platform (Mouazen, 2006) that collects geo-located soil measurements at high sampling resolution (>1500 sample per ha) for precision agriculture decision support. The sensor provides a wide range of valuable information for the farmer, based on a single data collection exercise, including information about soil pH, lime requirement, micro- and macro-nutrients, soil compaction and soil organic matter levels, as well as crop requirements for nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and phosphorus (P).
- By adopting advanced sensing technologies and remote sensing assets, data on soil and crop will be integrated together with auxiliary data on weather, topography and yield, to develop algorithms to determine rules for VR applications. These can then be implemented from within the soil and crop information system. Data collected can be analysed quickly and presented to the farmer via web portal in compatible forms for uploading to variable rate enabled machinery without the logistical and other delays associated with laboratory testing.
Approach
The Pilot 3 solution will be based on the integration of the space assets of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) for geo-location of data and machine control with earth observation satellite imagery (e.g. Sentinel-2) and other crop and soil information (collected with the UGent on-line soil sensor) to optimise crop production decisions. The solution will allow farmers to apply nutrients in the right amount only where they are needed – by measuring variation in fertility levels across fields and matching input addition optimally – and it does this more effectively than existing services that rely on ‘first-generation’ precision farming technology. The resultant treatment maps would then be uploaded to precision agriculture compatible implements for application of N, P and K. However, the solution of variable rate tillage is still at the very beginning stage of development, where a commercial solution needs few years to reach maturity.
Expected Benefits
Expected benefits are optimising the rate of N, P and K fertilisers applied across different parts of a field. This will result in increasing yield and reduce input cost by reducing the amount of N, P and K fertilisers. The overall benefit is improved farming production efficiency by improving the farmer economic return, while reduced environmental footprint and waste is expected.
Stakeholder Description
The farmers in Belgium are the main stakeholders of our Pilot, as they will be the end users to adopt the proposed variable rate fertilisation approach. However, there is also interest in the approach from a farmer in the UK, who owns Manterra Ltd. The other stakeholder is the UGent partner, who plans to set up a spin-off company to commercialise the variable rate N, P, K recommendations, as a service provider.
Stakeholders Connectivity
During dissemination activities that included a series of meetings with different stakeholders the potential of the innovative on-line soil sensing technologies of UGent for deriving variable rate fertilisation recommendations is discussed. In addition to farmers interest in the on-line soil sensor and variable rate approach, AVR is interesting in the soil sensing technologies. A diagram of stakeholder connectivity in the Flanders region is provided in the Figure 7. below. In the following sections, each of these stakeholders are described in more detail. All external stakeholders are interested to learn more about the potential and benefits of the proposed solution, and to commercialize the product if they are proen to be commercially and/or environmentally viable.
Stakeholder | Role in Pilot | Additional Stakeholders linked to this Stakeholder |
#1 COLSOUL Farm | Farmers constitute the major end users of the variable rate technologies. The owner of COLSOUL farm will provide access to his fields and variable rate enabling agricultural machinery, including tractors to derive the soil sensing platforms, and fertiliser spreaders and liquid fertiliser sprayers to apply granular and liquid fertilisers, respectively, and a combine harvester equipped with a yield sensor. This farmer is considered as early adopter of the proposed technology. | Farmers constitute a key position in the pilot since, they are the main end user of the proposed variable rate technology. However, COLSOUL’s main input in variable rate N, P, K fertilisation solution, is provided by SIEUSOIL or the UGent spin off once established. This farmer is also connected with AVR and PCA when the crop grown is potato. The farmer could also be connected with Bayer when it concerns the advice for the use of agrochemicals. |
#2 Delanoye Farm | Farmers constitute the major end users of the variable rate technologies. The owner of Delanoye farm will provide access to his fields and variable rate enabling agricultural machinery, including tractors to derive the soil sensing platforms, and fertiliser spreaders and liquid fertiliser sprayers to apply granular and liquid fertilisers, respectively, and a combine harvester equipped with a yield sensor. This farmer is considered as early adopter of the proposed technology. | Farmers constitute a key position in the pilot, since they are the main end user of the proposed variable rate technology. However, Delanoye’s main input in variable rate N, P, K fertilisation solution, is provided by SIEUSOIL or the UGent spin off once established. This farmer is also connected with AVR and PCA when the crop grown is potato. The farmer could also be connected with Bayer when it concerns the advice for the use of agrochemicals. |
#3 Bayer Forward Farm | Farmers constitute the major end users of the variable rate technologies. The owner of Bayer forward farm will provide access to his fields and variable rate enabling agricultural machinery, including tractors to derive the soil sensing platforms, and fertiliser spreaders and liquid fertiliser sprayers to apply granular and liquid fertilisers, respectively, and a combine harvester equipped with a yield sensor. This farmer is considered as early adopter of the proposed technology. | Farmers constitute a key position in the pilot, since they are the main end user of the proposed variable rate technology. However, Bayer forward farm’s main input in variable rate N, P, K fertilisation solution, is provided by SIEUSOIL or the UGent spin off once established. This farmer is also connected with AVR and PCA when the crop grown is potato. The farmer is connected with Bayer as this farm is a demonstration farm to Bayer, where the company has offices on the farm premises. |
#4 Manterra Ltd. | Farmers constitute the major end users of the variable rate technologies. The owner of Manterra Ltd. is a farmer who is interested in the use of the UGent on-line soil sensor technology for site specific management of farming input resources in the UK. This farmer is considered as early adopter of the proposed technology, and will open a new market for the technology in the UK. | Farmers constitute a key position in the pilot, since they are the main end user of the proposed variable rate technology. However, Manterra Ltd. farm’s main input in variable rate N, P, K fertilisation solution, will be provided by the UGent spin off once established. Manterra Ltd. is linked with Stockbridge Technology Centre. They collaborate in different agronomy projects including precision agriculture applications. |
#5 UGent | Despite the fact that UGent is a partner in SIEUSOIL project the university has interest in creating a spin-out company to commercialise the technology developed by Prof. Mouazen team under the Precision Soil and Crop Engineering group – Precision Scoring (https://www.ugent.be/bw/environment/en/research/precision_scoring). In addition to the variable rate solutions validated under SIEUSOIL, novel soil sensing technologies including the on-line soil sensing platform used in SIEUSOIL project will be the products of the spin-out. | UGent will be closely linked with the key farmers listed above, e.g., COLSOUL, Delanoye, Bayer Forward farms and Manterra Ltd. These farmers are considered as the early adopters of the sensing technology and the variable rate solutions. Also, UGent is linked with AVR, as AVR is strongly interested to implement the sensor technologies of UGent on their potato machinery. Bayer is already linked with UGent, Faulty of Bioscience Engineering, funding a chair for the last 5 years. They have particular interest in funding small projects on precision agriculture including MSc thesis projects. |
#6 Bayer | Bayer facilitates the access to the experimental sites in Bayer Forward Farm, and provide support in implementing the experimental plots. | Bayer is linked with UGent, Faulty of Bioscience Engineering, funding a chair for the last 5 years. They have particular interest in funding small projects on precision agriculture including MSc thesis projects. Bayer is connected with the Bayer forward farm, as this farm is a demonstration farm to Bayer, where the company has offices on the farm premises. Bayer is indirectly linked with farmers through the Bayer agrochemical products being used on their farms. |
#7 AVR | AVR is a local Belgium manufacturer of machinery for potato production. The company realises the importance of soil sensor technologies for variable rate fertilisation. Their rule in the Pilot is to support COLSOUL farmer in implementing the variable rate technologies for the SIEUSOIL fields. | Since AVR is a machinery provider they are an important stakeholders to produce agricultural machinery (for potato) equipped with variable rate control technologies. They have a strong link with COLSOUL farm and UGent, as AVR is strongly interested to implement the sensor technologies of UGent on their potato fertilisation and seeding machinery. . |
#8 AgriSat | Agrisat has the role of the developer, pilot supporter, and also is using and running its partners' farms. Based on it will Agrisat directly contribute to pilot leading, preparation, real experiment realization, analysis preparation, and others. Agrisat will do the support of the partner UGent which is the leading organization in the pilot. | Agrisat will be closely linked with the partner UGent, other SIEUSOIL WPs, key farmers, and other roles and other stockholders in the SIEUSOIL project. |
#9 Stockbridge Technology Centre Ltd | Stockbridge Technology Centre has no direct role in the Pilot. However, due to their strong network with farmers in the UK, they are interested is dissemination/commercialisation of the solutions proposed for variable rate fertilisation. | Stockbridge Technology Centre is linked with Manterra Ltd. They collaborate in different agronomy project including precision agriculture applications. |
#10 Test Center for Potato Cultivation (PCA) | The Test Centre for Potato Cultivation (PCA) provides agronomic advices to farmers working on potato. They have no direct role in the Pilot 3 of SIEUSOIL. Their interest is in the UGent on-line soil sensing technologies to manage within field variability in potato production. | They are linked with UGent on the proximal soil sensing technologies and their potential for mapping within field soil variability for the implementation of variable rate fertilisation. |
table
Pilot location | Belgium |
Use Case |
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Pilot scale | Field-scale, with three farms in Belgium. The total area used in SIEUSOIL project is 32 ha. |
Land uses (crop types) | Barely, maize, potato, sugar beet, wheat, and oilseed rape. No livestock |
Major agricultural and environmental projects | Odysseus 3.5 M EUR, FWO funded project (Project coordinator: Abdul Mouazen). Other agronomic projects related to agrochemical applications run in the ForwardFarm. By Bayer. Erosion plots are established in the Bayer ForwardFarm to support erosion studies. |
Pilot objectives |
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