Sensor research and algorithm development for corn in ND

L.K. Sharma, D.W. Franzen, H. Bu, R. Ashley, G. Endres and J. Teboh

North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Area and production

2011- 2.06 million acre and 5.5 MT

2012- 3.2 million acre and 8.5 MT

Corn acreage in North Dakota is increasing at a very high rate in the last 10 years.

INTRODUCTION

Day 1 Day 45 Day 80 Day 120

Corn N timeline

ApplicationPeriod of greatest uptake

EarlyEarlyGrowthGrowth

RapidRapidGrowthGrowth MaturingMaturing

LateLateLossLoss

100100

7575

5050

2525

00

MayMay JuneJune JulyJuly AugAug SeptSept

Sea

sona

l N U

ptak

e, %

Sea

sona

l N U

ptak

e, %

Over 80% of N required after V8

The first 6 weeks of growth, little N is needed

Source: Dr. Jim Schepers, NUE conference presentation, Fargo-http://nue.okstate.edu/Nitrogen_Conference2012/North_Dakota.htm

In high clay soils

•Leaching is not an issue.

•Downward movement of water in a high clay soil (Fargo soil series) is about 0.015 inches per hour, or about 1/3 inch per day.

Image taken June 28, 3 days after area was covered by 6 inches of water

Active optical sensors have been identified as a tool to increase nitrogen-use efficiency

GreenSeeker™ (Trimble)

Holland Crop Circle Sensor™ (Holland Scientific)

Holland Crop Circle-470

LEDRed

TARGET

SENSOR

RedEdge

User SelectedFilters

ACS-470

NIR

Source: Dr. Jim Schepers, NUE conference presenattion, Fargo-http://nue.okstate.edu/Nitrogen_Conference2012/North_Dakota.htm

Greenseeker emits two bands visible and near infrared:

NDVI= (NIR – Red)/(NIR+Red) (774nm reading – 656nm reading)/(774nm + 656nm)Or(774nm reading – 710nm reading)/(774nm + 710nm)

(New GreenSeeker)

Crop Circle-470 emit three bands visible, red edge, and near infrared:

NDVI= (NIR – Red/(NIR+Red) (760nm reading – 670nm reading)/ (760 + 670)OrNDVI= (NIR – Red Edge/NIR+Red Edge) (760nm reading – 730nm reading)/ (760 + 730)

Materials and Methods

Locations and Treatments51 sites were selected in 2011-

2013.Six nitrogen treatments: 0, 40, 80,

120, 160, and 200 lb/acre.

Experimental design: Randomized complete block

design with four replications. Plot size: 20 feet long by 10 feet wide Soil was sampled to 2-feet in depth for residual nitrate-

N preplant. P and K applied, if found deficient and cooperator

application not practical

Crop History & Soil TexturePrevious cropTillage historySurface-subsurface soil texture

Sensor readingsApproximately 45 samples/row The NDVI values were averaged for each plot

as well as for each treatment. Both sensors Crop Circle and Greenseeker

were used• 8 and 12 leaf stage over the top

Location segregation

All research Sites

No till SitesEast

High Clay Sites

Medium Textured

Sites

Conventional tillHigher yields/lower yields

Westernsites

Sensor Wavelength for NDVI

G-S Basic Yield Prediction Formula Minimum INSEY for N rate

GS Red V6 Yield = (188094 X INSEY) + 29 0.0001

GS Red Edge V6 Yield = (325010 X INSEY) + 46 0.00003

CC Red V6 Yield = (229555 X INSEY) + 41 0.0001

CC Red Edge V6 Yield = (399336 X INSEY) + 60 0.00003

GS Red V12 Yield = (71686 X INSEY) + 57 0.0002

GS Red Edge V12 Yield = (139218 X INSEY) + 50 0.00015

CC Red V12 Yield = (120175 X INSEY) + 35 0.0002

CC Red Edge V12 Yield = (277715 X INSEY) + 11 0.00015

West River No-Till

Sensor Wavelength for NDVI

G-S Basic Yield Prediction Formula Minimum INSEY for N rate

GS Red V6 Yield = (85506 X INSEY) + 110 0.0002

GS Red Edge V6 Yield = (146652 X INSEY) + 93 0.00015

CC Red V6 Yield = (94286 X INSEY) + 120 0.0002

CC Red Edge V6 Yield = (161565 X INSEY) + 11 0.00015

GS Red V12 Yield = (132082 X INSEY) + 62 0.0004

GS Red Edge V12 Yield = (89991 X INSEY) + 91 0.0002

CC Red V12 Yield = (157411 X INSEY) + 48 0.0003

CC Red Edge V12 Yield = (274855 X INSEY) + 51 0.0002

High Clay Soils Eastern North Dakota

Sensor Wavelength for NDVI

G-S Basic Yield Prediction Formula Minimum INSEY for N rate

GS Red V6 Yield = (59103 X INSEY) + 128 0.0002

GS Red Edge V6 Not established  

CC Red V6 Yield = (91892 X INSEY) + 133 0.0002

CC Red Edge V6 Yield = (55652 X INSEY) + 138 0.00006

GS Red V12 Yield = (89116 X INSEY) + 99 0.0003

GS Red Edge V12 Not established  

CC Red V12 Yield = (88306 X INSEY) + 109 0.0003

CC Red Edge V12 Yield = (196600 X INSEY) + 88 0.0002

Medium Texture Soils Eastern North Dakota

Sensor Wavelength for NDVI

G-S Basic Yield Prediction Formula Minimum INSEY for N rate

GS Red V6 Yield = (247906 X INSEY) + 67 0.00015

GS Red Edge V6 Not established  

CC Red V6 Yield = (212021 X INSEY) + 103 0.00015

CC Red Edge V6 Not established  

         GS Red V12 Not established  

GS Red Edge V12 Not established  

CC Red V12 Not established  

CC Red Edge V12 Yield = (363492 X INSEY) + 7 0.00015

Long-term No-Till Eastern North Dakota

Procedure to use algorithm

INSEY

Yie

ld

Reference INSEY

Reference Yield

INSEY in field

Field Yield estimate

Corn yield difference in kg/ha. X 1.25 % N in corn grain divided by efficiency factor 0.6 = N rate in kg/ha

Example-

Reference yield predicted- 120 bushels

In-field yield estimated- 60 bushels

difference = 60 bushels X 56 lb N/bushel = 3360 pounds X 0.0125 = 42 lb N 42 /0.6 efficiency factor = 70 lb N at that location.

Wavelength evaluation of two ground based active optical sensors to detect sulfur deficiency

in corn using N rich within field areas

Locations Tillage System

GPS Coordinated

Soil Type Planting Dates

First Sensing (V6 stage)

Second Sensing (V12 stage)

Arthur Conventional-tillage

47o 06’ 50.963” N, 97o 57’ 55.219” W

Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Hapludolls

05/15/13 06/20/13 07/10/13

Oakes No-till 46006’38.066’’N 97057’55.219’’

Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Aeric Calciaquolls

05/11/13 06/18/13 07/09/13

Tillage system, soil type, planting date and date of the first and second sensing of experimental sites.

Relationship between N rate and Crop circle red edge INSEY (Crop circle red edge wavelength reading/growing degree-days), V6 at Arthur

Relationship between N rate and Crop circle red edge INSEY (Crop circle red edge wavelength reading/growing degree-days), V12 at Arthur

Relationship of Crop Circle red edge INSEY (sensor red edge NDVI/growing degree-days from planting to sensing) and N rate, V6 stage at Arthur

Relationship of Crop Circle red edge INSEY (sensor red edge NDVI/growing degree-days from planting to sensing) and N rate, V12 stage at Arthur

Overall ConclusionMultiplying INSEY by the corn height improve

the relationship between INSEYS and Yield.Red edge NDVI is better at 2nd stage than Red

NDVI.Crop circle red edge was found better as

compared to Greenseeker 2nd stage. V12 leaf stage was found better in predicting

yield as compared to V8.Inseason N rate algorithm was successfully

build with help of sensors.

This algorithms is a starting point for growers.

NDSU Computer Science (Anne Denton- a ICPA presenter) are developing a ‘machine learning’ tool, which will help growers to add their data into the existing algorithm to make the algorithm their ‘own’.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special Thanks •Dr. Dave Franzen (PhD Advisor)•Dr. Tom DeSutter (PhD Committee member)•Dr. R. J. Goos (PhD Committee member)•Dr. Joel Ransom (PhD Committee member)

•Thanks to the North Dakota Corn Council, IPNI and Pioneer Hi-Bred International for their support of this project. Also to Dr. Anne Denton, NDSU Computer Science Department and the National Science Foundation. Also to Honggang Bu, Brad Schmidt and Eric Schultz.