Post on 15-Apr-2017
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Benefits, Barriers and Opportunities for Precision Ag in Australia
K.I.S.S. MY P.A.
Mic Fels Esperance/Three Springs WA
Adelaide this way
6000Ha
4500Ha
Precision Ag on our properties must:
• Increase profitability • Make my life easier
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• The easiest PA is the most effective • The biggest barrier to adoption is intentional incompatibility • Go “G Rated” (Generic):
• Cheaper • Better • Easier
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Poor man’s PA
Our first year. 1993: 1000Ha
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Autosteer and RTK More than just reducing overlap
36m 12m
18m 3.2m
2.8m
3.0m
Chafflining
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Optimising Inputs: “G Rated” Zoning and VRT
Price/tonne: $750 $500 $750 $500
MAP Urea MOP Cost $/Ha
Cost diff/Ha
Yield diff t/ha
Profit diff/Ha
Canola Control 40 50 0 $55 0 Poor Sand 20 50 0 $40 $(15) 0 $15
Good gravel 90 80 0 $108 $53 0.3 $98
Average $38
Price/tonne: $750 $500 $750 $250
MAP Urea MOP Cost $/Ha
Cost diff/Ha
Yield diff t/ha
Profit diff/Ha
Wheat Control 40 50 40 $85 0 Poor Sand 20 0 25 $34 $(51) 0.1 $76
Good gravel 90 80 50 $145 $60 0.6 $90
Average $55
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What to do, where Know the True Yield Potential
Map Protein to measure N efficiency
+/- 15N
OK
10.5-11.2% Protein
Protein vs N rates for Maximum Profit
NOT OK!
<10% Protein
-$30/Ha
NOT OK!
>12% Protein
-$20/Ha
Protein mapping on the header
$169.99
$1.49
$269.99
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2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Match inputs every season to maximise profit
2011: $90,000
2014: $120,000
Data courtesy of
Actual Yield
July iPaddockYield Forecast
My protein
District Protein
•No soil cores •Updates instantly with every rainfall event
10 Year Comparison Analysis
R² = 0.8752
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0
Forecast Yield vs Actual yield iPaddockYield Database 2015
•Yield Prophet R2=0.52 (2005, WA data)
$169.99 No subscriptions < 0.5 tonne of Urea
Next: taking iPaddockYield to the pixel level
Now seeking PA development partners
• Generating Potential Yield maps for Optimal VRT: • Nitrogen, fungicides
• Spatial crop forecasting: more accurate than USDA
Decile WA Yield Potential @Feb2016 t/Ha WA Yield Potential @Feb2016
Crop Forecasting
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The Bottom Line
• PA can be as simple as using different rates in different paddocks
• The BIGGEST PROFITS from PA are from matching inputs to the TRUE yield potential
• Use “G Rated” Generic technology to get there sooner
• PA is about grabbing all the 1’s and 2’s. Make sure you have the 10’s and 20’s sorted first
• Adding the benefits of PA to a well managed program leads to substantial profits
• A blanket rate is still better than the right rate in the wrong place
The most important thing is to start
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Follow me on twitter @ipaddockapps for insightful quotes.
www.ipaddock.com.au twitter @ipaddockapps Facebook.com/ipaddockapps
$169.99
$1.49
$269.99
Youtube “iPaddock apps”
2016 Annual SANTFA Conference
• Save screenshot/photo in Dropbox • Use “Paint” to crop image on computer • Duplicate the file, change “.png” to “.pwg”
– (or .jpg->.jwg, .bmp->.bwp etc) • Compress both files into one .zip folder • Open zip folder in iPad using Dropbox App • “Open in...” GISKit • Georeference 3 or more points in image against Google image • Easy!!
Georeferencing images for Dummies
Poor sands: •100kg/Ha from 25kg N •NIL response to K •NIL response to P
Good gravel: •150-200kg/Ha from 25kg N •NIL response to K •200kg/Ha from 18kg P
Canola trial
Poor sands: •100kg/Ha LOSS from 25kg N •500kg/Ha response to 12kg K •NIL response to more than 4kg P
Good gravel: •400kg/Ha GAIN from 25kg N •500kg/Ha response to 20kg K •400kg/Ha from 18kg P
Wheat trial