Feasibility of Precision Ag For Improving Agriculture Production In Jamaica

1. Feasibility of Precision Ag For Improving Agriculture Production In Jamaica AJ Foster Soils 4213 Spring 2011 AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

2. Outline • Introduction • Definition of Precision Ag • Precision Ag in Jamaica (Present) • Precision Ag in Jamaica (Future) • Modern Information and Technology • Example • Conclusions AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

3. “ Mining has virtually maximized its growth, tourism has virtually maximized the availability of beaches which can be developed, manufacturing has contracted from a contribution of 19 per cent of GDP some 40 years ago to seven per cent today, and agriculture remains underdeveloped" Former Prime Minister Edward Seaga “The apple cannot be stuck back on the Tree of Knowledge ; once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less.” Arthur Miller AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

4. Jamaica • Population – 2.6 mil. • Size – 4200 sq miles (~1/18 size of Oklahoma) • Climate- tropical/interior temperate • Fastest people per capita AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

5. Precision Ag • Adjusting and fine-tuning land and crop management practices to the needs of plants within a heterogeneous environment to maximize use of inputs and productivity by using modern information and technology. AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

6. Precision Ag in Jamaica (Present) • Soil testing by the Laboratory may take 3 to 6 weeks.  This is dependent on the workload as well as the availability of chemicals to do specific analyses. AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

7. Field Efficiency Minimal Tillage AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

8. Precision Ag in Jamaica (Future) • Modern information and technology • Guide on-the farm management decision • Farmers view on sustainability • What to grow? • How much to grow? • How much to fertilize? • When to apply herbicide, insecticide, tillage etc. • To anticipate behavior in field in advance • Predictive models AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

9. Technology For Everyone • Greenseeker • Education • Cost (J$350,000-US$4000) • Pocket Sensor • Education • Cost (J$25,000 –US$300) • Digital camera • Education • Cost (J$850- US$10) • Mobile Device • Education • Cost (J$5000 –US$60) AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

10. An example of how modern information and technology could be used in Jamaica to make N recommendation. AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

11. N rate from Digital Photograph AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

12. What is a Digital Photograph? • Matrix of cells (pixels) arranged into rows and columns. • Each cell contain a value that represent information. • Three Bands Red Green Blue (RGB) AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

13. Digital Photograph Properties AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

14. Spectral Response to N NDVI= NIR – Red NIR + Red AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

15. N rate using a Digital Photograph • Digital photographs and Greenseeker (NDVI from plots with varied NPK lb/ac rate • Process photographs • Image J • ArcGIS • Compute indices • NGRDI • VARI • Regression AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

16. Normalized Green-Red Difference Index (NGRDI) • NGRDI = (GreenDN-RedDN)/(GreenDN + Red DN) • Ranges from -1 to +1 • Mathematically related to other indices • E.g. NDVI = (NIR - Red)/(NIR + Red) • Significant positive correlation with N concentration in late stage of corn development (Hunt et al.,2005) • NGRDI linearly related to NDVI for wheat AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

17. Visible Atmospheric Resistant Index (VARI) • VARI = (GreenDN-RedDN)/(GreenDN + Red DN - BlueDN) • Ranges from -1 to +1 • Mathematically related to other indices • E.g. NDVI = (NIR - Red)/(NIR + Red) • Linearly relationship (r 2 =0.96) with green vegetation fraction in corn ( Vina et al., 2004) • Detect onset of senescence earlier than NDVI (Vina et al.,2004) • VARI linearly related to NDVI for wheat AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

18. Conclusions • Digital photographs may be used to develop indices for making N recommendations that are similar to that of the greenseeker. • The potential for using digital photograph to predict crop yield and make N recommendation is a feasibly option worth pursuing. • Long-term studies are needed to establish a good relationship between Indices computed from digital photograph and greenseeker NDVI readings for different crops. • Technologies such as greenseeker, pocket sensor, digital camera and mobile devices offer great potential for balancing production with environmental threshold in Jamaica AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

19. Questions • What types of precision ag practice are currently used in Jamaica? Answer • Soil testing • Minimal tillage in sugarcane • (True or False) Digital camera as a sensor can never be used for making N recommendation? Answer FALSE AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

20. Acknowledgement • Dr Brian Arnall • Dr Bill Raun • Dr Gopal Kakani • Raghu Veer Sripathi • Nana Thompson AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University

21. “Don’t be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value” – Arthur Miller AJ Foster, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University