On-farm experimentation of precision agriculture for differential seed and fertilizer management in semi-arid rainfed zones
This study explores the integration of precision agriculture technologies (PATs) in rainfed cereal production within semi-arid regions.Methodsutilizing the Veris 3100 sensor for apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) mapping, differentiated management zones (MZs) were established in experimenta...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2024 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya) |
| Repositorio: | Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:recercat.cat:10459.1/466943 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-024-10189-y https://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/466943 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Variable Dose Technology Apparent soil electrical conductivity Nitrogen management Rainfed crops |
| Sumario: | This study explores the integration of precision agriculture technologies (PATs) in rainfed cereal production within semi-arid regions.Methodsutilizing the Veris 3100 sensor for apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) mapping, differentiated management zones (MZs) were established in experimental plots in Valsalada, NE Spain. Site-specific variable dose technology was applied for seed and fertilizer applications, tailoring inputs to distinct fertility levels within each MZ. Emphasizing nitrogen (N) management, the study evaluated the impact of variable-rate applications on crop growth, yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and economic returns. For the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons, seeding rates ranged from 350 to 450 grains/m2, and basal fertilizer dosages varied between high and low levels. Additionally, the total nitrogen units were distributed differently between the two seasons, while maintaining a uniform topdressing fertilizer dose across all treatments.ResultsResults revealed a significant increase in yield in MZ 2 (higher fertility) compared to MZ 1 (lower fertility). NUE demonstrated notable improvement in MZ 2, emphasizing the effectiveness of variable-rate N applications. Economic returns, calculated as partial net income, showed a considerable advantage in MZ 2 over MZ 1, resulting in negative outcomes for low-fertility areas in several of the analyzed scenarios, and highlighting the financial benefits of tailored input management.ConclusionThis research provides quantitative evidence supporting the viability and advantages of adopting PATs in rainfed cereal production. The study contributes valuable insights into optimizing input strategies, enhancing N management, and improving economic returns in semi-arid regions. |
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