Precision agriculture technology for crop farming

382 Pages·2015·13.33 MB·English

by  Zhang

PRECISION
AGRICULTURE
TECHNOLOGY
FOR CROP
FARMING

PRECISION
AGRICULTURE
TECHNOLOGY
FOR CROP
FARMING
Edited by
Qin Zhang
Washington State University
Prosser, Washington, USA
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Version Date: 20150731
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Contents
Foreword ..................................................................................................................vii
Editor ........................................................................................................................xi
Contributors ...........................................................................................................xiii
Chapter 1 A History of Precision Agriculture ......................................................1
David Franzen and David Mulla
Chapter 2 Sensing Technology for Precision Crop Farming ..............................21
Marvin L. Stone and William R. Raun
Chapter 3 Data Processing and Utilization in Precision Agriculture .................55
Chunjiang Zhao, Liping Chen, Guijun Yang, and Xiaoyu Song
Chapter 4 Control of Precision Agriculture Production ...................................103
Qin Zhang
Chapter 5 Intelligent Agricultural Machinery and Field Robots ......................133
Shufeng Han, Brian L. Steward, and Lie Tang
Chapter 6 Precision Agriculture in Large-Scale Mechanized Farming ...........177
Chenghai Yang, Ruixiu Sui, and Won Suk Lee
Chapter 7 A Systems Approach to Community-Based Precision
Agriculture ..................................................................................213
Sakae Shibusawa

Chapter 8 Precision Agriculture in China: Sensing Technology
and Application ................................................................................231
Hong Sun and Minzan Li
Chapter 9 Good Agricultural Practices, Quality, Traceability,
and Precision Agriculture.................................................................279
Josse De Baerdemaeker and Wouter Saeys
v
vi Contents
Chapter 10 State of the Art and Future Requirements .......................................299
Hermann Auernhammer and Markus Demmel
Index ......................................................................................................................347
Foreword
Precision agriculture technologies have developed over the last three decades to aid
plant agriculture. This book reviews what has happened in the past, what the cur-
rent situation is, and predicts what the future may hold for these technologies. Top
experts who have contributed to the development of precision agriculture provide the
information.
Agriculture must provide an ever-increasing amount of quality food, fiber, feed,
and fuel for humankind. And it must do this in a manner that is environmentally,
economically, and sociopolitically sustainable. This will become even more chal-
lenging in the future as there is no single technology that can solve this problem. The
development and proper implementation of precision agriculture therefore can be a
great help toward achieving this very important task.
NEED FOR PRODUCTION
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN) estimates that
we will need 60% more food by 2050. This is partially due to increasing population.
In 2012, the world’s population passed the 7 billion mark. Although the population
growth rate has halved since its peak, the UN predicts that the world’s population
will increase to 9.6 billion by 2050. Those extra mouths need to be fed.
But a bigger cause of the need for the increased production is the changing diets
of many consumers, especially those in high-population emerging economies. For
example, the consumption of meat increased about 800% in China from 1978 to
2008. The move from diets heavy in staple crops to diets that include substantial
amounts of animal products and fruits and vegetables demands much more produc-
tion from plant agriculture. At the same time, the average total calories consumed
per capita have increased from 2250 in 1961 to 2750 in 2007 and are predicted to
reach 3070 in 2050. The confluence of more people and more per capita demands
leads to the need for great increase in plant agriculture production.
The world depends heavily upon fossil fuels for its fuel, chemicals, and fibers.
However, easily accessible supplies of oil and gas are finite and we will soon reach
their limit. In addition, the extraction of fossil fuels from below the earth’s sur-
face unfortunately brings carbon to the surface and into the atmosphere, thereby
increasing the greenhouse effect. Plant agriculture removes carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere. More plant production is needed to replace fossil fuels and conse-
quently to provide the raw materials for biofuels, chemical feedstock, and natural
fibers. However, increasing such uses of plants could consume agricultural resources
that could contribute to food production. This again shows the need for increased
productivity.
As discussed above, it is obvious that more agricultural production is needed to
support increased populations and changing diets while reducing fossil fuel depen-
dence. By properly responding to spatial and temporal variability in soils, crops, and
pests, precision agriculture technologies help increase the productivity and efficiency
vii
viii Foreword
of plant agriculture. The best way to meet the production needs of the future is to use
precision agriculture in combination with the best genetics, cultural practices, equip-
ment, and agronomic management, to achieve maximum production.
NEED FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Humans are now dominating the earth. In order to ensure the health and happiness
of future generations, we must live in a sustainable manner. There needs to be envi-
ronmental, economic, and sociopolitical sustainability. This sustainability can be
improved through the use of precision agriculture.
The growing and harvesting of crops remove nutrients from the soil, which must
be replaced for long-term environmental sustainability. In low-income countries
where the supplies of fertilizers are limited, they should be applied in the areas
where they will do the most good. In high-income countries, fertilizers are often
uniformly overapplied to avoid the economic consequences of nutrient deficiencies
in any area. The mobility of the overapplied nitrogen and phosphorus can then cause
those nutrients to be removed from agricultural fields and subsequently lead to drink-
ing water contamination or excessive algae growth. Applying the right fertilizers in
the right place at the right time is important to maintaining a proper crop-growing
environment without pollution.
Water is a similar environmental issue. Agricultural irrigation represents about
70% of humans’ water usage. There are competing demands for our limited water
resources. Precision agriculture irrigation can help maximize water use efficiency.
Traditionally, pesticides are applied uniformly in an agricultural field. However,
insect, disease, and weed pests tend to be spatially variable. Therefore, the uniform
application of pesticides often results in pesticides being released into environments
where they are not needed. It would promote environmental sustainability if preci-
sion agriculture was utilized and pesticides were applied just where and when they
are needed.
Economic sustainability is also promoted by precision agriculture. Inputs such as
water, fertilizers, and pesticides contribute very significantly to the costs of produc-
tion. Reductions in those inputs and increases in quality production from precision
agriculture can make farming more economically rewarding. There are also second-
ary economic benefits in the increased input use efficiency, thus reducing embedded
energy costs and environmental costs.

Over half of the world’s population now lives in urban, rather than rural, envi-
ronments as the migration to cities continues. A disproportionate percentage of
the migrants are young adults in search of better economic opportunities and
more rewarding jobs. Their migration from rural areas has a detrimental effect
on sociopolitical sustainability in both rural and urban areas. Although the effect
may be small, the introduction of advanced precision agriculture technologies
may prove attractive enough to some potential migrants to encourage them to
remain in rural communities. The infrastructure, personnel, and experience of
precision agriculture may help reduce the digital divide between rural and urban
populations.
Foreword ix
POTENTIAL OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE
TO HELP MEET THESE NEEDS
Meeting the production and sustainability needs for plant agriculture in the future is
a difficult task. The greatest chance of meeting those needs is if there is an integra-
tion of advances in many areas. There need to be better technologies in genetics,
cultural practices, weather prediction, equipment, and farm management. Existing
and to-be-developed precision agriculture technologies must be effectively and effi-
ciently integrated into the crop production systems to contribute to increased produc-
tion and sustainability.
The purpose of this book is to facilitate that integration by conveying informa-
tion on precision agriculture technology to other researchers and practitioners. The
chapters are written by experts who have contributed significantly to the develop-
ment of precision agriculture technologies. They discuss the developments of the
past, describe the current situation, and provide some predictions of the likely future.
ORGANIZATION OF THIS BOOK
The first chapter gives a brief review of the history of precision agriculture to estab-
lish a background to the discussion of particular technologies and applications. The
next chapters provide details on technologies for sensing, data handling, modeling,
and control. The technologies, when integrated, are the vital tools needed for preci-
sion agriculture to be successful. The following chapters show how precision agri-
culture can be used in large-scale agriculture, community agriculture, diversified
farming, and as a good agricultural practice. Finally, the needs for the future are
proposed.
Of course, there is much more information on precision agriculture than can be
included in one book. The authors have utilized their vast experience and knowledge
to select the most important and relevant information. I hope you find the book as
interesting and informative as I have.
John K. Schueller
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida