Education Standards
Uses Tools and Processes for OER
Uses Tools and Processes of Precision Agriculture for OER
Uses Tools and Processes Worksheet
Variability in Precision Agriculture OER
Variability in Precision Agriculture OER pdf
Precision Agriculture Basics
Overview
Precision Agriculture Basics is three lesson plans to give students a basic understanding of Precision Agriculture. It includes:
1. Definition of Precision Agriculture
2. Uses, Tools and Processes of Precision Agriculture
3. Variability in Precision Agriculture
Precision Agriculture Lesson 1 "Precision Agriculture Definition"
- Typical Keywords: Site specific or subfield, GPS (geospatial), efficiency, management, data, technology, variable rate, environment, economic, variability
- This Precision Agriculture (PA) definition has recently been recognized by the Board of directors as the official definition of the International Society for Precision Agriculture (ISPA)
- “Precision Agriculture is a management strategy that gathers, processes and analyzes temporal, spatial and individual data and combines it with other information to support management decisions according to estimated variability for improved resource use efficiency, productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability of agricultural production.”
- Breakdown of different parts of definition:
- “management strategy the gathers, processes and analyzes data”
- Data is gathered in the field. Examples: Yield data is gathered during harvest via a yield monitor in a combine. Planting data is gathered from a planter during seeding. Remote sensing data is gathered from satellites into a software platform.
- Data is processed from the field into a cloud-based software package or brought from the combine/tractor via an usb device or data card and read into a software package.
- Data is analyzed by the farmer or a precision agriculture consultant and used in making management decisions.
- “temporal, spatial and individual data”
- Temporal data: Data that specifically refers to times or dates.
- Spatial data: Any data that can be mapped with a location (latitude/longitude)
- Individual data: Data gathered or recorded by farmer.
- “Variability”
- Precision Agriculture assumes that fields are not uniform, but rather variable. Variability can occur in soils physical properties and topography of the land. Variability can also occur because of previous farming practices (no till versus conventional tillage), vegetation (alfalfa, pasture, cropland), management (renovated tree rows, old farmyards/fence lines) and etc.
- “improved resource use efficiency, productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability of agricultural production”
- Resources use efficiency includes land, labor, fuel, fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, insecticide, seed, and ect.
- Productivity refers to increasing yield
- Quality would include fruit/vegetable size and firmness; protein content, oil content, test weight, plumpness and more.
- Profitability is ability to generate more revenue than expenses.
- According to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Sustainable agricultural practices are intended to protect the environment, expand the Earth’s natural resource base, and maintain and improve soil fertility. Based on a multi-pronged goal, sustainable agriculture seeks to:
- Increase profitable farm income
- Promote environmental stewardship
- Enhance quality of life for farm families and communities
- Increase production for human food and fiber needs
- “management strategy the gathers, processes and analyzes data”
Precision Agriculture
Lesson One: Definition of Precision Agriculture
Overview:
Students will use the internet to develop a concise definition of Precision Agriculture.
Objectives:
The student will be able to explain basic concepts in precision agriculture.
Materials Needed:
Access to the internet
Activity:
- Individual activity: Each student will have search the internet and learn as much as they can about precision agriculture in 5 minutes. Students will each write 3 concepts that they learned. (5-10 minutes)
- Place the students into groups of 2 or 3. Students will report the 3 concepts that they learned to their group. (2-5 minutes)
- Using the concepts learned, have each group formulate a concise (less than 25 word) definition of Precision Agriculture (5-10 minutes)
- Each group will read their definition of Precision Agriculture, while the teacher writes key words on the whiteboard. (5-10 minutes)
- Teacher shares the official definition of Precision Agriculture (below). (5 minutes)
- Teacher discusses the definition, including any terms students are familiar with. (below) (10-20 minutes)
Precision Agriculture Lesson 2 "Uses, Tools and Processes"
Teacher Resources:
- Powerpoint has notes
- PDF of Powerpoint, with notes
- Student Worksheet
- Example of typical Guidance System
- http://www.rlhtechs.com/Trimble%20Ag/EZ%20500.htm
- “Climate/Fieldview Drive”
- Software Company Websites
- Intelligent Devices
- https://agriculture.trimble.com/product/greenseeker-system/
- https://agriculture.trimble.com/product/weedseeker-spot-spray-system/
- https://www.precisionplanting.com/products/product/smartfirmer
- https://www.digitalmatter.com/Solutions/IoT-Agriculture-Sensors
- https://www.scrdairy.com/herd-intelligence/hc24-solution.html
- https://all3dp.com/beaniot-internet-of-things-agriculture/
Precision Agriculture
Lesson Two: Uses, Tools and Processes of Precision Agriculture
Overview:
Students will be introduced to spatial data that is used in making management decisions in agriculture.
Objectives:
The student will be able to:
-Explain the Uses of Precision Agriculture
-Describe the Tools used in Precision Agriculture
-List the Processes used in Precision Agriculture
Materials Needed:
Access to the internet
Activity:
- Teacher will go through the powerpoint presentation
- While reviewing the powerpoint, students will complete the worksheet.
Optional Activities:
- Worksheet includes optional activities.
Precision Agriculture Lesson 3 "Variability in Precision Agriculture"
Teacher Resources:
- Powerpoint Slides
- Activities
- Students will research one of the era’s of farming (Agriculture Revolution, Ridge and Furrow Farming, Industrial Revolution and Technological Revolution)
- Discussion Questions:
- What type of equipment/technology is utilized?
- What new inventions happened during this time period?
- How did new equipment/technology/inventions change farming practices?
- Discussion Questions:
- After seeing several examples of variability in a field, the students will come up with other examples of how field can be variable.
- Discussion Point: “What are other examples of temporal variability in a field?”
- Discussion Point: “What are some farming methods to manage variability in a field?”
- Students will research one of the era’s of farming (Agriculture Revolution, Ridge and Furrow Farming, Industrial Revolution and Technological Revolution)
Resource Websites:
Precision Agriculture
Lesson One: Variability in Precision Agriculture
Overview:
Students will discover why “variability” is the driving factor behind precision agriculture.
Objectives:
The student will explore different types of variation in a field and how precision agriculture technology can help manage the variability.
Materials Needed:
internet
Activity:
A powerpoint presentation, with notes, will explain field variability. Several discussion slides are a part of the powerpoint.
- Students will research one of the era’s of farming
- Discussion Questions:
- What type of equipment/technology is utilized?
- What new inventions happened during this time period?
- How did new equipment/technology/inventions change farming practices?
- Discussion Questions:
- After seeing several examples of variability in a field, the students will come up with other examples of how field can be variable.
- Discussion Point: “What are other examples of temporal variability in a field?”
- Discussion Point: “What are some farming methods to manage variability in a field?”