Precision Farming defination , Advantages and disadvantage

Precision Agriculture 

1.1 Definition 

 Precision farming is the technology which involves the targeting of inputs to 

arable crop production according to crop requirement on the localized basis 

(Stafford,1996). 

 Precision agriculture can be defined as the application of principles and 

technologies to manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects 

of agricultural production for the purpose of improving crop performance and 

environmental quality (Pierce and Nowak, 1999). 

 Precision Farming is generally defined as an information and technology based farm 

management system to identify, analyze and manage variability within fields by doing all 

practices of crop production in right place at right time and in right way for optimum 

profitability, sustainability and protection of the land resource. Precision agriculture is a 

systems approach to farming for maximizing the effectiveness of crop inputs.. 

1.2 Objectives of precision farming

• To develop a methodology for identifying the causes of within field variation in 

crop performance. 

• To develop practical guidelines required to implement precision farming 

technology to achieve best management. 

• To explore the possibility of using remote-sensing methods and GIS to enable 

management decisions to be made in real time during the growth of the crop 

• To determine the potential economic and environmental benefits.

 🌞Components of precision

 farming:-

 Information or data base

 Soil: Soil Texture, Structure, Physical Condition, Soil Moisture; Soil

Nutrients, etc.

 Crop: Plant Population; Crop Tissue Nutrient Status, Crop Stress, Weed

patches (weed type and intensity); Insect or fungal infestation (species and

intensity), Crop Yield; Harvest Swath Width etc.

 Climate: Temperature, humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, wind velocity,

etc.

 In-fields variability, spatially or temporally, in soil-related properties, crop

characteristics, weed and insect-pest population and harvest data are important databases

that need to be developed to realize the potential of precision farming.

 Technology: Technologies include a vast array of tools of hardware, software and

equipments.

 Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers: GPS provides continuous

position information in real time, while in motion. Having precise location

information at any time allows soil and crop measurements to be mapped.

GPS receivers, either carried to the field or mounted on implements allow

users to return to specific locations to sample or treat those areas.

 Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS): A technique to improve

GPS accuracy that uses pseudo range errors measured at a known location

to improve the measurements made by other GPS receivers within the

same general geographic area.

 Geographic information systems (GIS): Geographic information

systems (GIS) are computer hardware and software that use feature

attributes and location data to produce maps. An important function of an

agricultural GIS is to store layers of information, such as yields, soil 

1.4 Components of precision farming

 Information or data base

 Soil: Soil Texture, Structure, Physical Condition, Soil Moisture; Soil

Nutrients, etc.

 Crop: Plant Population; Crop Tissue Nutrient Status, Crop Stress, Weed

patches (weed type and intensity); Insect or fungal infestation (species and

intensity), Crop Yield; Harvest Swath Width etc.

 Climate: Temperature, humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, wind velocity,

etc.

 In-fields variability, spatially or temporally, in soil-related properties, crop

characteristics, weed and insect-pest population and harvest data are important databases

that need to be developed to realize the potential of precision farming.

 Technology: Technologies include a vast array of tools of hardware, software and

equipments.

 Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers: GPS provides continuous

position information in real time, while in motion. Having precise location

information at any time allows soil and crop measurements to be mapped.

GPS receivers, either carried to the field or mounted on implements allow

users to return to specific locations to sample or treat those areas.

 Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS): A technique to improve

GPS accuracy that uses pseudo range errors measured at a known location

to improve the measurements made by other GPS receivers within the

same general geographic area.

 Geographic information systems (GIS): Geographic information

systems (GIS) are computer hardware and software that use feature

attributes and location data to produce maps. An important function of an

agricultural GIS is to store layers of information, such as yields, soil 1.4 Components of precision farming

 Information or data base

 Soil: Soil Texture, Structure, Physical Condition, Soil Moisture; Soil

Nutrients, etc.

 Crop: Plant Population; Crop Tissue Nutrient Status, Crop Stress, Weed

patches (weed type and intensity); Insect or fungal infestation (species and

intensity), Crop Yield; Harvest Swath Width etc.

 Climate: Temperature, humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, wind velocity,

etc.

 In-fields variability, spatially or temporally, in soil-related properties, crop

characteristics, weed and insect-pest population and harvest data are important databases

that need to be developed to realize the potential of precision farming.

 Technology: Technologies include a vast array of tools of hardware, software and

equipments.

 Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers: GPS provides continuous

position information in real time, while in motion. Having precise location

information at any time allows soil and crop measurements to be mapped.

GPS receivers, either carried to the field or mounted on implements allow

users to return to specific locations to sample or treat those areas.

 Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS): A technique to improve

GPS accuracy that uses pseudo range errors measured at a known location

to improve the measurements made by other GPS receivers within the

same general geographic area.

 Geographic information systems (GIS): Geographic information

systems (GIS) are computer hardware and software that use feature

attributes and location data to produce maps. An important function of an

agricultural GIS is to store layers of information, such as yields, soil 

ADVANTAGES OF PRECISION FARMING

Precision agricultura allows us, through the use of different technologies, to collect, organise and store information on evironmental parameters, irrigation water, the physical environment and the crop itself, to help the farmer make the most appropriate decisions at all times.

When fertigation is applied on the basis of the principle of precision agricultura, it is necessary to integrate state-of-the-art agricultural tolos such as sensors, which provide the values of real crop parameters, or irrigation controllers, which can automatically vary the irrigation frequency depending on temperature, humidity and solar radiation, among other actions. In addition, this technology allows the mass storage and analysis of information generated by the sensors.

Advantages of recision farming:

Ability to collect real-time data on the variables occurring in the crop fields.

Reduction in the use of inputs and labour, thus reducing costs.

Increased product quality, as the exact requirements of the crop are met.

Efficiency in the use of water.

Reduction of the environmental impact derived from this activity, due to the reduced use of agrochemicals and the rational use of water.

Alarm in the event of climatic incidents, such as frost or rain.

PRECISION AGRICULTURE IS PROVING TO BE ONE THE BEST TOOLS TO BE USED IN THE PRODUCTION SYSTEMPS OF THE THIRD MILLENNIUM, ACHIEVING MULTIPLE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ADVANTAGES.