Aerial Imaging Aids Precision Agriculture for Peterson Farms Seed
Each year, independent corn and soybean seed company Peterson Farms Seed researches and tests innovative methods to apply seed and fertilizer, writes James Carroll at Vision Systems Design. Field conditions such as soil content and plant health must be monitored to determine input levels for each season. One method for doing so involves the use of satellite images, but new technologies like multispectral imaging and drones provide a much faster and more accurate method for doing so.
The regional corn and soybean seed company must determine input levels for seed and fertilizer. A process known as variable rate application involves using optimal amounts of seed or other inputs in certain areas of a field based on historic yield, soil health, elevation, and satellite or drone imagery. For example, if a corn field has a traditional seeding rate of 34,000 corn seeds per acre, adjusting the amount of seeds that go onto areas that historically yield higher and putting less seeds in areas with lower yield makes sense, according to Nolan Berg, Precision Systems Specialist, Peterson Farms Seed.
In-season variable rate fertilization is another method utilized by Peterson Farms Seed to lower input costs while still maintaining higher yields.
Continue reading at at Vision Systems Design.
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