HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (22) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bouma, J. Articles by Booltink, H.W.G. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Bouma, J. Articles by Booltink, H.W.G. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Bouma, J. Articles by Booltink, H.W.G.

DIVISION S-5-PEDOLOGY

Pedology, Precision Agriculture, and the Changing Paradigm of Agricultural Research

^a Lab. of Soil Science and Geology, Wageningen Agricultural Univ., P.O. Box 37, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

johan.bouma{at}bodlan.beng.wau.nl

Precision agriculture (PA) has recently been defined by the U.S. National Research Council as a management strategy that uses information technologies to bring data from multiple sources to bear on decisions associated with crop production. Soil information is important here, but current soil survey data do not satisfy PA requirements. In this paper, the need for soil data in PA is discussed on the basis of Dutch research. Not only operational, but also tactical and strategic aspects are considered. On the operational level, soil data, including parameters derived with pedotransfer functions, support the use of simulation models to quantify dynamically soil water regimes, N transformations, and biocide adsorption. Real time "forward-looking" simulations incorporated in early-warning systems assist in operational decisions on water, nutrient, and crop protection management. Backward-looking simulations, using historic weather data, can be used to evaluate different management tactics for exploratory strategic and tactical purposes. Such simulations should balance production and environmental requirements. At the strategic and tactical level, assembled data on the performance of various farm management systems should be grouped by soil series to build a systematic database, allowing "quick and preliminary" evaluations of the effects of farm management strategies based on experiences obtained elsewhere on similar soils.

Abbreviations: ICT, Information and Communication Technologies • GIS, geographical information systems • PA, precision agriculture • NRCS, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F Baret, V Houles, and M Guerif Quantification of plant stress using remote sensing observations and crop models: the case of nitrogen management J. Exp. Bot., March 1, 2007; 58(4): 869 - 880. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Lin and H. Lin Hydropedology: Bridging Disciplines, Scales, and Data Vadose Zone J., February 1, 2003; 2(1): 1 - 11. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. van Alphen and J. J. Stoorvogel Effects of Soil Variability and Weather Conditions on Pesticide Leaching-- A Farm-Level Evaluation J. Environ. Qual., May 1, 2002; 31(3): 797 - 805. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B.J. Van Alphen and J.J. Stoorvogel A Functional Approach to Soil Characterization in Support of Precision Agriculture Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 1, 2000; 64(5): 1706 - 1713. [Abstract] [Full Text]