Sensor Based N: Agronomic and Engineering Background

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Sensor Based N Agronomic and Engineering
Background
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Problem

• Cereal NUE (corn, wheat, rice) averages 33 world
  wide
• Low Profit Margins
• Environmental Sensitivity of Corn and Wheat
  Production Systems

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SCIENCE Magazine

• Excess nitrogen flowing down the Mississippi each
  year is estimated to be worth 750,000,000
  (Science, Malakoff, 1998)
• NUE in cereal production must be improved

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14-36 lb/ac
9-78 lb/ac
0-45 lb/ac
The NITROGEN CYCLE LEAKS. What can be done?
0-40 lb/ac
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Photosynthesis

• Light may be absorbed and participate (drive) a
  chemical reaction. Example Photosynthesis in
  plants

• The wavelength must be correct to be absorbed by
  some participant(s) in the reaction
• Some structure must be present to allow the
  reaction to occur
• Chlorophyll
• Plant physical and chemical structure

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Plant Reflectance
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GreenSeekerTM Sensor Light Detection and Filtering
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Normalized Difference Vegetative Index - NDVI

• Calculated from the red and near-infrared bands
• Equivalent to a plant physical examination
• Correlated with
• Plant biomass
• Crop yield
• Plant nitrogen
• Plant chlorophyll
• Water stress
• Plant diseases
• Insect damage

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Can Yield Potential (similar to yield goals) be
Predicted MID-SEASON?
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NDVI at F5

INSEY
Days from planting to sensing, GDDgt0
130 110 90 70 50 30 10 0
Bushels/acre
Winter Wheat
Units biomass, kg/ha/day, where GDDgt0
In Season Estimated Yield
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Predicting Yield Potential in Corn
NDVI, V8 to V10

INSEY
Days from planting to sensing
330 270 210 150 90 30 0
Bushels/acre
CORN
In Season Estimated Yield
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Response to Fertilizer N, Long-Term Winter Wheat
Experiment, Lahoma, OK
After the FACT N Rate required for MAX Yields
Ranged from 0 to 140 lbs N/ac
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Response to Fertilizer N, Long-Term Corn
Experiment,Mead, NE
After the FACT N Rate required for MAX Yields
Ranged from 25 to 165 lbs N/ac
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Can RI be Predicted in Wheat?
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Can RI Be Predicted in Corn?
MullenAgronomy Journal 95347-351 (2003)Winter
Wheat
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Response Indexvariable from year to year in the
same field
2004
1995
Long term N-P-K Experiment222 (1969-2004) Dr.
Billy Tucker
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Farmer Practice
N Rich Strip
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Growth Stage V8 V10
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Response Index NDVI, N Rich Strip NDVI,
Farmer Practice
Residual NLegume creditsMineralizationManureNi
trate in rainfall and/or irrigation water
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Near Marshall, OK - IKONIS NDVI
N RichNo P
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Where are we?

• Yield potential can be predicted
• N responsiveness can be predicted
• Accurate mid-season N rates can be determined
  (RAMP or SBNRC)
• www.nue.okstate.edu

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Sensor Based N The Tools that Make it Work,
SuperPete to the Rescue
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SuperPete Solutions
Technological Requirement

• Sensor Based N Rate Calculator
• RAMP
• Variable N Rate Applicators

RCS Equipment
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Progress timeline

• 1991 Developed optical sensors and sprayer
  control systems to detect bindweed in fallow
  fields and to spot spray the weed
• 1993 Sensor used to measure total N uptake in
  wheat and to variably apply N fertilizer.
• 1994 Predicted forage biomass and total forage N
  uptake using NDVI (Feekes 5).
• 1994 First application of N fertilizer based on
  sensor readings. N rate was reduced with no
  decrease in grain yield.
• 1996 Worlds first optical sensing variable N
  rate applicator developed at OSU
• 1997 OSU optical sensor simultaneously measures
  incident and reflected light at two wavelengths,
  (670 6 nm and 780 6 nm) and incident light is
  cosine corrected enabling the use of calibrated
  reflectance.
• 1997 Variable rate technology used to sense and
  treat every 4 square
• 1998 Yields increased by treating spatial
  variability and OSUs In-Season-Estimated-Yield
  (INSEY)
• 1998 INSEY refined to account for temporal
  variability
• 1999 Found that adjacent 4 square foot areas
  will not always have the same yield potential
• 1999 Entered into discussions with John Mayfield
  concerning the potential commercialization of a
  sensor-based N
• 2000 N fertilizer rate needed to maximize yields
  varied widely over years and was unpredictable
  developed RI
• 2001 NDVI readings used for plant selection of
  triticales in Mexico.
• 2001 NFOA algorithm field tested in 2001,
  demonstrating that grain yields could be
  increased at lower N rates when N fertilizers
  were applied to each 4 square feet (using INSEY
  and RI)
• 2002 Ideal growth stage in corn identified for
  in-season N applications in corn via daily NDVI
  sampling in Mexico as V8.
• 2003 CV from NDVI readings collected in corn
  and wheat were first used within NFOAs developed
  at OSU.
• 2003 When site CVs were greater than 18,
  recovery of maximum yield from mid-season
  fertilizer N applications was not possible in
  wheat
• 2004 Calibration stamp technology jointly
  developed and extended within the farming
  community
• 2004 OSU-NFOAs (wheat and corn) used in
  Argentina, and extended in China and India.

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Value to Oklahoma

• 5,000,000 acres of wheat
• 10.00 minimum savings per acre on N fertilizer
  (RAMP, SBNRC, VRT)
• 50 adoption
• 25,000,000/year

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SBNRCMethod to Determine N Rate
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Yield Prediction Response Index (N Rich Strip
Compared to the Farmer Practice) Yield
obtainable with added N (YPN RI
YP0) Fertilizer Rate (GNUPYPN-GNUPYP0)/0.6
2
1
3
4
2
4
The efficiency factor of 0.6 can change depending
on the crop and production circumstances
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RI-NFOAYPNYP0 RI
YP0
YPN
YPN
YPMAX
RI1.5
RI2.0
Grain yield
INSEY (NDVI/days from planting to sensing)
Nf (YP0RI) YP0))/Ef

• The mechanics of how N rates are computed are
  really very simple
• Yield potential is predicted without N
• The yield achievable with added N is 1 times the
  RI
• Grain N uptake for 2 minus 1 Predicted
  Additional N Need
• Fertilizer Rate 3/ efficiency factor (usually
  0.5 to 0.7)

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http//www.soiltesting.okstate.edu/SBNRC/SBNRC.php
http//www.nue.okstate.edu
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nue.okstate.edu
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Sensor Base N Rate CalculatorIPAQ (load-up files)
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Ramp Calibration Strip (RCS) Technology for
Determining Mid-Season N Rates in Wheat and Corn
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Ramped N Rich Strip Visual
Sensed
Ramped N Rich StripsAre an Advancement over the
Calibration StampPower Response Index or RI
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Rationale

• Refinement of the Calibration Stamp (AJ 2005)
• RCS superimposed on the farmer preplant N
  practice
• Allows producers to examine plant responsiveness
  over the range of rates to determine the optimum
  topdress N rate. 
• Point where visual growth differences no longer
  exist is the topdress N Rate
• or lowest rate where there are no longer any
  visual differences 
• Recording distance as you walk the RCS since
  distance is associated with a predetermined N. 
• Assumes that we can catch up or achieve maximum
  yields from mid-season N applications, and that
  yield potential was not severely restricted by
  early season N stress. 

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Why the RAMP works

• How can the RAMP be used to identify the
  appropriate rate?
• Agronomic Assumptions
• Even when early season N stress was present (0-N
  preplant), N applied topdress at Feekes 5
  resulted in maximum or near maximum yields at 4
  of 6 site-year combinations when compared to
  other treatments receiving both preplant and
  topdress N.

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Winter Wheat, Enid, 2005
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Ramp Calibration Strip

• Walk it off
• Or use Hand-Held Sensor

0 N
195 N
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• 586 RAMPS, 2006

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RAMP, SBNRC

• N Rates Vary from one year to the next, and field
  to field
• When you fill up your gas tank, do you put in 20
  gallons every time no matter what?

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New and Improved RAMP Technology
Pedometer 1. N Rate 2. Yield Potential 3.
Gross Return
Distance
0 50 100 150
N Rate
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2005 Regional GreenSeeker Extension Trials
Treatment Check Farmer practice N-Rich GreenSeeker
----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) ---------------------
Afton, OK 182 127 55 157
Choctaw County --- 265 158 277
Gore, OK 334 262 211 282
Pauls Valley, OK 242 211 157 218
Pittsburg County --- 174 82 171
Quapaw, OK 184 163 91 176
South Coffeyville, OK 154 304 243 282
Webbers Falls 1, OK 260 237 275 317
Webbers Falls 2, OK 300 255 167 296
All sites Average 237 222 160 242
Treatment Check Farmer practice N-Rich GreenSeeker
--------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) --------------------
Afton, OK 0 150 300 110 (35)
Choctaw County --- 132 342 51 (9)
Gore, OK 0 200 300 114 (39)
Pauls Valley, OK 0 150 300 115 (40)
Pittsburg County --- 76 320 52 (32)
Quapaw, OK 0 110 300 75 (0)
South Coffeyville, OK 0 120 300 158 (83)
Webbers Falls 1, OK 0 230 300 90 (20)
Webbers Falls 2, OK 0 150 300 75 (0)
All sites Average 0 146 307 93 (29)
Treatment Check Farmer practice N-Rich GreenSeeker
--------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) --------------------
Afton, OK 91 91 83 99
Choctaw County --- 157 142 148
Gore, OK 167 168 161 162
Pauls Valley, OK 121 133 134 130
Pittsburg County --- 101 100 95
Quapaw, OK 92 102 101 102
South Coffeyville, OK 77 174 177 170
Webbers Falls 1, OK 130 161 193 176
Webbers Falls 2, OK 150 155 139 162
All sites Average 118 138 137 138
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2006 Regional GreenSeeker Extension Trials
Treatment Check Farmer practice N-Rich N-Rich GreenSeeker 75 lb N GreenSeeker 75 lb N GreenSeeker 0 lb N GreenSeeker 0 lb N
----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) --------------------- ----------------------- Gross Return ( ac1) ---------------------
Miami, OK 228 203 203 141 141 175 175 209
South Coffeyville, OK 253 259 259 171 171 272 272 280
Webbers Falls, OK 270 265 265 351 351 346 346 333
Ft. Gibson, OK 375 289 289 324 324 367 367 348
All sites Average 282 254 254 247 247 290 290 293
Treatment Check Farmer practice N-Rich GreenSeeker 75 lb N GreenSeeker 75 lb N GreenSeeker 0 lb N GreenSeeker 0 lb N
--------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Total N applied (lbs N ac1) --------------------
Miami, OK 0 70 300 300 112 (37) 112 (37) 36
South Coffeyville, OK 0 120 300 300 93 (17) 93 (17) 52
Webbers Falls, OK 0 250 300 300 110 (35) 110 (35) 45
Ft. Gibson, OK 0 246 300 300 132 (57) 132 (57) 71
All sites Average 0 172 300 300 112 (37) 112 (37) 51
Treatment Check Farmer practice N-Rich GreenSeeker 75 lb N GreenSeeker 75 lb N GreenSeeker 0 lb N GreenSeeker 0 lb N
--------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) -------------------- --------------------- Grain yield (bu ac1) --------------------
Miami, OK 91 92 102 102 87 87 89
South Coffeyville, OK 101 122 114 114 123 123 120
Webbers Falls, OK 108 144 186 186 155 155 140
Ft. Gibson, OK 150 153 175 175 167 167 150
All sites Average 113 128 144 144 133 133 125
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GreenSeeker Technology Advantage over Farmer
Practice

• Earned 36 to 39/ac of profit
• Farmer Practice 254 (/ac)
• GreenSeeker (75 lb N Pre) 290 (/ac)
• GreenSeeker (0 lb N Pre) 293 (/ac)
• Reduced total N applied by 45 to 70
• Farmer Practice 172 (lbs/ac)
• GreenSeeker (75 lb N Pre) 112 (lbs/ac)
• GreenSeeker (0 lb N Pre) 51 (lbs/ac)
• No significant difference in yield
• Farmer Practice 128 (bu/ac)
• GreenSeeker (75 lb N Pre) 133 (bu/ac)
• GreenSeeker (0 lb N Pre) 125 (bu/ac)

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What Do We Have to Remember?
1. N Response Changes Year to Year2. Demand
for Fertilizer N Changes Year to Year3. Without
a RAMP or N Rich Strip (SBNRC), Impossible to
determine how much N is needed4. Applying N
When it is Needed is the easiest way to improve
NUE
5. The Nitrogen Cycle Leaks and SuperPete can
help!
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Variable Rate Technology Treat Temporal and
Spatial Variability Returns are higher but
require larger investment
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Just remember boys, you can always trust
SuperPete!