David Mulla, Ph.D.ProfessorandLarsonEndowedChair

inSoilandWaterResources

Precision Agriculture

DavidMulla,Ph.D.

What is Precision Agriculture?

• Amanagementpracticeappliedattherightrate,righttime,andrightplace

• Customizedfieldmanagement• Nutrients• Drainageorirrigation• Pestsandweeds• Tillageandseedingoperations

Benefits of Precision Agriculture

• Increasedprofitability• Increasedefficiencyofinputs• Reducedenvironmentalpollution

Conventional Agriculture

• Uniformmanagementbasedon• Averagefieldconditions• Bestfieldconditions

• Uniformmanagementignoresspatialandtemporalvariabilityincropgrowthandsoilorlandscapefeatures

• Itleadstooveruseoffarminputs

Precision Farming Management Examples• Tractorautosteer• Yieldmapping• Variableratefertilizer• Variablerateherbicide• Variablerateseeding• Gridormanagementzonesoilsampling

Adoptionratesvaryfrom90%to30%,dependingonpractice.

Precision Agriculture is High Tech!

• GlobalPositionSatellites• GISandmappingsoftware• Yieldmonitors• Computersandmodels• Remotesensing• Proximalsensors• Digitalsoilandelevationmaps• Specializedfarmequipment

Robotics in Precision Agriculture

• Unmannedgroundvehicles UGV• Unmannedaerialvehicles UAV

UseofUAVsinMinnesotaagriculturecouldleadtoathousandnewjobsandnearly$150millionbeingpumpedintotheeconomy. Dept.EmploymentEcon.Development

Variable Rate Nitrogen (VRN)

• Matchside‐dressNfertilizerapplicationtocropgrowthpatterns

• UseremotesensingtodetectNdeficiencyinleaves

Detection of N Deficiency in Corn for VRN

HighresolutionimagescollectedusingadroneareusedtoidentifyNdeficiencyanditsseverity

Environmental Benefits of VRN

Benefitsvaryacrossyearsduetochangesinweather

U of M is a Leader in Precision Agriculture

• PrecisionAgriculturewasdevelopedattheUofMintheearly1980s

• UofMfoundedtheInternationalConferenceonPrecisionAgriculturein1992

• ThefirstPrecisionAgricultureCenterintheworldwasestablishedattheUofMin1995

• UofMfoundedthePrecisionAgriculturejournalin2000

Former Precision Agriculture Center Students• FormerstudentsandpostdocsinthePrecisionAgCenterhaveillustriouscareersinacademia,industry,andgovernment

• TomBruulesma isDirectorofInternationalPlantNutritionInstitute,JoseHernandezisResearchAgronomistatFarmer’sEdge

• DanLongandMarkTomer areResearchLeadersatUSDA‐ARS

• Yuxin Miao,SivaBalasundram,MarthaMamo,andJimThompsonareUniversityProfessorsinChina,Malaysia,Nebraska,andW.Virginia TomBruulesma,IPNI

Multidisciplinary Collaboration Drives Precision Agriculture

• PrecisionAgricultureresearchattheUofMinvolvesoverthirteenfacultymembersfromCFANS 5depts. andCSE 2depts. ,andtheWaseca,Lamberton,andCrookstonResearchandOutreachCenters

• NSFandMNAgencies/LegislaturehaveprovidedmajorfundingforPrecisionAgricultureatUofM

• MnDrive,AGREETenabledhiringnewPrecisionAgriculturefaculty• RoboticsSensorsandManufacturingCenterinCSE

Impact of Philanthropy

• Philanthropyhelpsbuildexcellenceinresearch• MyfacultypositionasanEndowedChairgivesmetheflexibilityandresourcestoquicklydiscovernewresearchinnovations

• Supportforgraduatescholarshipsandfellowshipsiscrucialforattractingthebrighteststudents

• Withoutphilanthropy,PrecisionFarmingwouldn’tbeoneofthetoptenrevolutionsofalltimeinagriculture

Thanks for supporting the U of M!

DavidMullamulla003@umn.edu612 625‐6721