The aims of project
The aim of the project is development of the Decision Support System based on the remote sensing method for precision farming (for determination of needs for agricultural practices). This method will be also applied for assessment of the degree of degradation of meadows (the method will refer to biodiversity of examined meadows) and for the carbon dioxide balance between the soil – vegetation and the atmosphere.
Project description
The analysis will be performed for most important crop: wheat and maize, in 2 regions. Meadows will be examined for the Wieprz river valley. The advantages:
- substantial limitation of data derivation costs,
- air-borne data are more representative and more costand time-efficient than soil and plant analyses and give spatial data what is more precise for precision farming than insitu point measurements,
- ensuring all benefits of precision farming, which results in substantial reduction of cost and environmental benefits,
- development of remote sensing method for evaluation of CO2 exchange will ensure faster, cheaper, and easier derivation of data required for greenhouse gas balance. The project will be implemented the stages of research and development of the remote sensing monitoring system, ground and air-born investigations, and design of a decision support system for precision farming.
Work packages description
WP1: Elaboration of remote sensing system based on ultra light airship (gyrocopter) for monitoring of agricultural ecosystems.
The WP1 aims at the selection of components and integration of the remote sensing, agriculture oriented monitoring system, which is planned to be installed onboard of an ultralight gyrocopter.
WP2: Evaluation of soil conditions and crop quality. Ground and aerial research.
The objective of the WP2 is to obtain information about the soil condition and crop status through ground- and air-based surveys.
WP3: GHG mapping over cultivated fields. Ground and aerial research.
The objective of WP3 is to elaborate remote-sensing methods to evaluate spatial distribution of GHG concentration over the fields under varied agricultural practices.
WP4: Assessment of the phytosanitary condition of the crops. Ground and aerial research.
The aim of the WP4 is to identify the occurrence and infection degree in crops (maize and wheat) by agrophages (weeds, diseases, and/or pests). The investigations are indispensable for calibration and validation of a system interpreting hyperspectral spectra recorded from the gyrocopter in the context of assessment of phytosanitary status.
WP5: Assessment of the state of meadow degradation. Ground and aerial research.
The objective of the WP5 is to assess the state of grassland degradation based on the results of the floristic diversity inventory of grassland communities under conditions of abandonment or extensive use. On-the-ground investigations will be confronted with data obtained in hyperspectral analysis with the spectra recorded from board of an ultralight aircraft (gyrocopter) and from satellite images.
WP6: Modelling of vegetation growth conditions, its development and yield based on agrometeorological and remote sensing data.
The objective of WP6 is to perform modelling of crop growth (winter wheat, maize) and grasslands and assess the yield of monitored crop and biomass of grasslands based on agrometeorological and remote sensing data derived from hyperspectral radiometer from gyrocopter.
WP7: Elaboration of an improved decision support system (DSS) for precise agriculture.
The objective of WP7 is implementation of the advanced DSS (Decision Support System) including improved gyrocopter-based PF approach for variable-rate-technology fertilisation and watering, plant health protection and grassland biodiversity recognition.
WP 8: Standardization of technology, market consultations, knowledge transfer
The objective of WP8 is to ensure standardisation an improvement of the solution. This will be achieved by carring the consultations with companies that will potentially be interested in this product, such as companies producing tractor-mounted systems of dosing of chemicals for agrotechnical treatments, and with agricultural producers.
