AG TECH NO LOG IE S
WINTE R 2014
PRECISION AG U PDATE Improving In-Field Data Collection with Soil Information Systems Observing soil from the surface it may look uniform, but the reality is very different. Due to differing topography and the weathering of rocks, minerals and organic matter over millions of years, soil is hugely variable and can vary widely in a single field. Thanks to a new agronomic service by Trimble and offered through Ag Technologies, farmers and their trusted advisors can now obtain in-depth 3-D soil data they can use to make more informed decisions about their crop production goals. The new service, Soil Information System™ (SIS), a part of the Connected Farm™ solution, is a revolutionary 3-D soil mapping technology that uses advanced sensors along with intelligent targeting and geo-processing algorithms to produce high resolution, accurate soil and topographic information. “Our goal here at Ag Technologies is to work with agronomists in the Southeast in order to offer this cutting edge technology to their growers,” said Robbie Tabb, Ag Technologies Territory Manager for South Georgia, Southeast Alabama and North Florida. By providing a greater understanding of the physical and chemical characterization of the soil, including how inputs move through the soil, SIS enables farmers and their trusted advisors to initiate more effective solutions to resolve the unique challenges of each area of their fields. The SIS solution outputs precise, multi-layer soil models that are more comprehensive than traditional methods used in the industry today. Some examples of map types include: root zone depth, soil texture, plant available water, compaction depth, macro and micro-nutrient levels, soil nutrient holding capacity, and salt and toxicity concentrations. This information can be used to make critical farm management decisions with irrigation, drainage, fertility, and more. “The ability to manage our natural resources wisely is key to the success of agriculture in the future,” said Tabb. “The SIS offering gives growers and their agronomists the information they need from a field to make informed, educated decisions on many applications such as water and nutrient management.” By analyzing soil variability and patterns prior to sampling—and by using its industry-exclusive data acquisition and analysis software—SIS provides targeted recommendations on the best locations where soil samples should be taken. In some cases this reduces the number of samples required to provide high-quality information by as much as 60 percent over traditional sampling methods. As a result, the solution enables agronomists and other trusted advisors to be more efficient with in-field data collection, providing valuable time and operating cost savings.
“Our goal at Ag Technologies is to work with agronomists in the Southeast in order to offer cutting edge technology to growers.”