Precision Agriculture Adoption

Producers need a way to better manage their inputs from year to year to aid them in increasing profitability. One such strategy is the implementation of Precision Agriculture techniques into their production operations. There are many Precision Agriculture techniques and technologies available to producers across all aspects of their production practices. These systems can be adopted throughout the entire production practice, starting from tillage and planting, all of the way through harvest. Irrigation scheduling and technology adoption in agriculture are critical issues in increasing the level of productiveness, profitability, and crop yields. The UGA Extension crop and soil scientist focused on employing projects that have evaluated irrigation scheduling methods in all of the major row crops grown in Georgia (cotton, peanuts, corn, and soybeans). These projects have included the testing of soil moisture sensors, online irrigation scheduling tools and smartphone apps, plant sensors, and tools that estimate evapotranspiration. He has also begun working with a colleague to develop new irrigation scheduling apps for smartphones for both soybeans and vegetables. He is currently collaborating with UGA agronomists and physiologists to determine the effects of irrigation methods on crop growth, development and final yield. In conjunction with the agronomic side of the research projects he has been working with UGA agricultural economists to aid in selecting the methods and technologies that not only produce the highest yields but also work towards increasing efficiencies, meaning they are most profitable for the producers. The implementation and incorporation of irrigation scheduling tools into production practice has the potential to not only increase water use efficiency of crops, but the potential to increase yield.