Project Number: 6406-21610-007-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 15, 2003
End Date: Feb 28, 2008

Objective:
Use information-based technologies to develop integrated, site-specific pest management approaches for cotton production. Develop and critically assess remote sensing and other spatial technologies to develop agronomic management areas on a farm. Conduct systems research to develop and utilize automated, high-speed flow of information necessary to utilize precision agriculture. Integrate these precision agriculture technologies and science into a unified system of precision agricultue for the production of cotton at the farm level.

Approach:
Integrate concepts from resampling statistics with site specific scouting procedures already supported by diverse spatial technologies. Develop knowledge base to relate yield maps and remotely sensed images of cotton fields and farms to the preferred habitat of major cotton insect pests. Develop novel experimental designs to evaluate impacts of site specific management at the field and landscape levels. Use remote sensing data, in conjunction with the ARS cotton model to delineate the spatial variability of crop yield potential and its relationship to plant stress physiology. Use leaf and canopy reflectance data in cotton to develop alogrithms sensitive to early stages of plant nutrient (N, P, K) and water stress. Develop means to delineate soil parameters using remotely sensed data. Develop an expert system which manages spatial and other thematic information used in precision agriculture. Design computer software interfaces that empower producers and consultants to design, collect, and analyze spatially registered inputs and outputs obtained during production cycles. Develop data collection, delivery, analysis, and storage software and hardware for the entire network of information captured and used in precision agriculture.

Project Team

Jenkins, Johnie Willers, Jeffrey McKinion, James

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003