Shannon Huber NorwoodMulti-County Extension Agent

Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Growers are facing increased input costs◦ nitrogen, fuel

Labor is becoming harder to find◦ Allows farms to reduce labor needs

Environmentally friendly◦ Putting inputs precisely where they are needed

Generate farm specific data to increase profits

Yield Monitoring Variable Rate Application

◦ Fertilizer, plant growth regulators, defoliant Sensor Technology Remote Sensing Guidance

◦ Boom control

Sensors on combine or cotton picker determine yield, typically at 1 second intervals

Controller connects GPS data to sensor data allowing for creation of yield map

Typically use 1m accuracy GPS Cotton pickers use light emitters (Ag

Leader) or microwave technology (John Deere)

Yield monitors are report cards for farmers

Ultimate goal is a profit map!

Technology exists to variable rate apply most crop inputs:◦ Fertilizer, seed, insecticide, plant growth

regulators, defoliant Fertilizer is probably most frequently

applied on a variable rate basis

Seeding Prescription MapHigher seeding rates under pivot.

Nitrogen Prescription MapBased on multiple years of yield data

Greenseeker is a commercially available product that measures NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetative Index), which basically indicates how green the crop is

Why is this important?◦ Indicator of plant health and growth

What can we use this for?◦ Nitrogen application was original purpose

Commercial providers of aerial based NDVI and thermal imagery

In Alabama, primarily for cotton management

Plant growth regulators and defoliant

‘Scouting’ image product from commercial vendor

Thermal image product from commercial vendor

3 levels of guidance products◦ Light bar/LCD screen guidance◦ Assisted steer ◦ RTK

Runs on chicken nuggets & mac-n-cheese

Runs on baby food and

lots of love

Light bar/LCD screen guidance◦ 12” pass-to-pass◦ Burndown of cover crops◦ Pastures◦ Golf course/sod◦ Cost: $1895 - $5000

Assisted steer ◦ 4-12” pass-to-pass◦ StarFire 2, OmniStar◦ Spray applications◦ Planting◦ Some products simply attach to steering column◦ Accuracy, but not repeatability◦ $2000 (as an add-on to light bar) and up

RTK ◦ Base station◦ CORS◦ Controlled traffic pattern◦ Controlled tillage◦ Precise input application

RTK Costs◦ CORS Station: approx. $24,000◦ $22,000 for third party auto-guidance setup◦ $12,000 for third-party base station

Base station range is approx. 6 miles line of sight Line of sight seems to be challenge here (vs.

Midwest or MS Delta) Many farms are spread over large geographic area,

would require multiple base stations Multiple base stations or moving a base station,

which would require additional labor.

Sprayer booms are typically 60 or 90 ft. Booms can have from 3 – 7 sections Boom controls allows individual sections to

be turned on or off

Field boundary

View from behind

Top View

Slide courtesy Dr John Fulton, AU

Guidance – Boom Control

Private company worked with Chris Johnson at USSRC and Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center to test use of farm RTK equipment using CORS as correction signal

Two brands of equipment were tested

Farm in Lawrence County acquired Trimble AutoPilot equipment to use with CORS

This farm is located approx. 27 miles from GTAC CORS

In January, a discussion began between Extension PA program and area farmers to gauge interest in CORS as a possible application for the Conservation Innovation Grants

25 mile radius map

Farmers inquired about going together to purchase a CORS

DOT was contacted Grant money secured from Wheat and Feed

Grain & Cotton Commission Word spreads…9 farms buy into the CORS

for Courtland

Courtland site became operational on March 11

Which one is right for me?

Traditional Base Station CORS Line of sight Geographic limitations

◦ More base stations◦ Move station◦ Some dealers provide

network Depending on factory pre-

installs or current equipment, it can be cheaper to upgrade than purchase 3rd party

Requires cell phone coverage

Not compatible with John Deere GPS - tractor equipped with John Deere RTK can not use CORS for correction signal

Nice that other groups/agencies can use signal

Further evaluation of CORS for ag applications◦ Funded by Alabama Cotton Commission

Precision Ag Team plans to apply for Conservation Innovation Grants in 2009◦ Require farmer cost-share◦ Commercially available technology◦ Further partnership with DOT

Shannon Huber Norwood◦ hubersr@aces.edu◦ 256-412-1696 mobile◦ 256-353-8702 ext. 28

Amy Winstead◦ winstat@aces.edu◦ 256-443-4752◦ 256-353-8702 ext. 26