Using Grid Soil Sampling w/Precision
Ag Technologies
Katlynn WeathersSoil 4213
April 10, 2013
What is precision agriculture?
What makes it so special?
How can grid soil sampling help?
Introduction
Purpose of Soil Sampling (Why)• Determine fertilizer and lime needs• Influence management decisions
* Too much fertilizer reduced nutrient use efficiency
* Not enough fertilizer will hurt yields
Introduction
Previous management• Significantly altered soil nutrient levels• Confined livestock areas• Unknown management practices from previous
years• Desire for more information
Smaller fields merged into one
Consider Grid Sampling If…
Types of Soil Sampling . . . . . .
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Composite / Random
Zone
Grid
Sampling On a Grid
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36
37 38 39 40 41 42
43 44 45 46 47 48
Field Border
Grid Cell
Sample ID #
Sampling w/ In A Grid
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Center of Grid
Sample points
W/ in Grid Cell
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Center of Grid
Soil Test Results
Soil Test P Potassium pH
Soil Test Maps
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/WQ450
How will you use this information??? • Layering
Prices in Oklahoma• Flat rate per acre (Central OK)
$4.50 -$5.50• VRT per acre (Northern OK)
$6.00 - $8.00
What Happens Next???
AdvantagesMore accurate
Layering of data
Nutrients
Has the potential to save money and increase yields*
Disadvantages Cost
Time
Not ideal for all locations
Specialized equipment
Questions?????
1. University of Missouri Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/p/WQ450
2. University of Nebraska Cooperative Extensionhttp://cropwatch.unl.edu/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=506359&name=DLFE-12661.pdf
3. West Virgina University Extension Servicehttp://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forglvst/Precision_Statewide_Project.pdf
4. University of Nebraska-Lincoln http://cropwatch.unl.edu/web/ssm/soilsampling
5. Clemson Extension http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/psapublishing/Pages/AGRO/IL63.pdf
Links for more Information