Nitrogen Variability: A Need for Precision Agriculture

摘要

Nitrogen (N) variability can have a negative impact on many production practices as well as having a negative influence on the environment. Nitrogen can be highly variable, both spatially and temporally. This is due to the N cycle being such a dynamic system. Producers have to change management practices to account for this variability. One way to manage N variability is the implementation of precision management practices. Scale of N variability is important, when implementing precision management. In some sites, the resolution of N variability is too fine to implement traditional precision agriculture management, such as management zone soil sampling, therefore remote sensing needs to be implemented. Many ground-based remote sensors are able to detect fine resolution differences however, delays between sensing and implementing management practices makes them flawed. Therefore, on-the-go sensors that indirectly measure nutrient status by plant tissue can be utilized to minimize this downtime. Many of these sensors are available, such as the Greenseeker? and the Crop Circle?. Implementing these practices has been shown to increase the N use efficiency in crops therefore increasing potential yield and decreasing environmental hazards.