NCERA_OLD180: Site-Specific Management
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
NCERA_OLD180: Site-Specific Management
Duration: 10/01/2001 to 09/30/2006
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
The concept of site-specific management (SSM), or precision agriculture (PA), holds significant
potential for agriculture in the North Central Region, the United States and the world. The
process of applying innovative technologies and principles to manage spatial and temporal
variability in crop production is both a promising and challenging scientific enterprise.
Promising in that today's technologies need to be guided by principles developed through a
multi-scalar approach to research, and challenging in that a true PA system needs to be founded
on an interdisciplinary approach. The NCR-180 was formed to explore these promises while
addressing these challenges.
Interest continues to build in the agricultural community as producers view SSM as an avenue to
improved crop management, enhanced productivity profitability in an increasingly global
economy, and the potential for reduced adverse environmental impact of their operations. The
most recent survey on adoption of SSM executed by the Center for Agricultural Business,
Purdue University, June 2000 concludes that "precision technology and services continue to
grow and expand in the agricultural market among both growers and retail agronomic
dealerships". Research by Daberkow and McBride of the USDA Economic Research Service
found a 1998 national adoption rate of 4 covering 14 of all crop acres. The adoption was
concentrated in the Midwest where 11 of all producers use one or more of the PA technologies.
However a highly variable and uncertain marketplace appeared to have slowed past rapid growth
in some regions. The adoption of the SSM concept brings very significant changes in farm
practices and use of information technologies. It presents important challenges to the faculties of
land grant universities in developing appropriate research and outreach activities to support this
transition.
SSM is a broad-based concept, drawing on the expertise and experience of a number of
disciplines. To respond to this need, NCR-180 members and participants represent crop, soil,
and weed sciences; entomology, plant pathology, agricultural engineering, applied economics,
and agricultural sociology. NCR-180 is perhaps unique for providing a critical linkage for multi-
disciplinary communication and interaction among the scientists conducting both research and
extension activities. Annual meetings provide a forum for in-depth discussion and analysis of
new research developments and coordination of present and future multi-state projects.
Members of the NCR-180 originally explored many of the "intuitive" or what appeared to be
simple approaches to achieving SSM. Various models and analytical frameworks were
developed and tested based on varying inputs relative to soil properties, water and climatic
processes. These early efforts led to the recognition that the current approach of the NCR-180
(i.e., a multidisciplinary approach to the salient intellectual challenges of SSM) has the greatest
potential to develop the science of SSM. Another critical feature of the NCR-180 is the
partnerships that have been developed with producers, producer groups and the private sector.
This provides a constant check to members to produce sound science that also has applicable and
appropriate results for their various constituencies. Finally, today's scientist must also be
concerned with the training of scientists for tomorrow. Communication and coordination of
relevant materials that can be used in the curriculum of our universities is an on-going
responsibility of NCR-180 members.
Objectives
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Facilitate the continued coordination of multidisciplinary research and technology transfer on SSM among participating states.
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Continue to use the activities of the NCR-180 to coordinate a response to the scientific challenges and intellectual opportunities surrounding this concept.
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Continue to facilitate collaborative activities to accomplish scientific publication of research, develop and implement education and technology transfer projects, and the organization of symposia at regional, national and international meetings.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- When the NCR-180 was first developed there were few other researchers working in this area. This is no longer the case as all the scientific disciplines represented by the NCR-180, as well as others not represented, conduct research on the processes and patterns associated with spatial and temporal variation in the production process. Thus, the future role of the NCR-180 needs to continue to emphasize the building of basic models that explain this variation while also developing linkages among models between disciplines. The NCR-180 will also need to identify "gaps" in existing research from a multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary perspective as this rarely occurs within any one institutional setting. A key function of the NCR-180 is a survey conducted each year in planning the annual meeting to assess the major scientific challenges in this area. In the near term the NCR-180 proposes to address the following issues that have been identified through this process. <OL> <li>Quantification of spatial and temporal natural resources variability, development of protocols for sampling procedures, development of improved spatial data analysis and interpretation methods; <li>Development of rules for the identification of management zones, development of basic spatial-and temporal-based methodology to conduct on-farm research, development of practical crop models for SSM management, methodologies for developing soil and crop SSM prescriptions; assessment of the value of PA to the producers, agribusiness, and various levels of government; <li>Development of real-time sensors for soil and plant characterization; enhancement of remote sensing techniques for soil and crop condition detection and management, quantification of SSM impacts on the environment, practices development of yield sensors; <li>Identification of methods or techniques to identify audiences for PA materials and appropriate technology transfer model for these techniques; study of impacts associated with adopting or not SSM practices.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
see outcomes/impacts
Organization/Governance
The recommended Standard Governance for multistate research activities include the election of a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary. All officers are to be elected for at least two-year terms to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a CSREES Representative.
Literature Cited