Automated Fertigation Using Canary Reference Plots for Nitrogen Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nitrogen management strategies in agriculture, particularly for corn production, do not maximize nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) due to asynchronous application timing with crop nitrogen uptake, leading to excessive losses and environmental impacts, and existing precision approaches are limited by the need for frequent and timely adjustments that are difficult to implement with traditional high-clearance applicators.
Innovation Solution
The development of automated fertigation systems that use in-season multispectral imagery to determine nitrogen sufficiency through indicator blocks with varying nitrogen application rates, enabling real-time, high-frequency binary fertigation decisions and prescriptions, which can be integrated with center pivot irrigation systems for efficient nitrogen application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If in-season nitrogen applications are made at a uniform rate, then application simplicity is maintained, but nitrogen use efficiency deteriorates due to spatio-temporal variation in optimal N rate within a single field
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform nitrogen application to variable-rate application based on spatial zones within the field. Each zone receives nitrogen at a rate optimized for its specific conditions (soil properties, crop density, historical yield), thereby improving nitrogen use efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity through automated zone-based control
2Loss of energy
If responsive nitrogen strategies are implemented using active sensors mounted on high-clearance applicators, then nitrogen use efficiency improves through real-time application rate adjustment, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing nitrogen management zones and determining optimal application rates before the actual application process. This allows the system to achieve responsive nitrogen management efficiency through simpler equipment, as the complex decision-making is completed in advance rather than requiring real-time sensor feedback during application
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses management zones as an intermediary between field variability and application equipment. These pre-defined zones serve as a mediator that translates complex spatial variations in nitrogen需求 into discrete, easily manageable application units, reducing the complexity required in the application system while maintaining precision
3Loss of energy
If frequent in-season nitrogen applications are implemented to optimize timing, then nitrogen use efficiency improves, but the number of field passes and operational time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by determining all nitrogen application rates and timing for the entire growing season in advance, based on pre-established management zones and predicted crop nitrogen uptake curves. This allows optimization of nitrogen use efficiency through planned frequent applications while minimizing operational time by eliminating the need for in-season monitoring and decision-making
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves nitrogen use efficiency by up to 94% and increases profit in 59% of implementations, while reducing environmental impacts by optimizing nitrogen application timing and frequency, and is scalable for commercial use.
Implementation Method 1
uses optical sensor data to quantify field spatial variability, crop performance and/or nitrogen sufficiency
Implementation Method 2
A vegetation index is determined from the crop canopy reflectance data
Data Source
AI summary
Automated fertigation systems and methods determine crop N status from a vegetation index calculated from acquired image data of indicator blocks having at least two plots, one with a reduced N application rate (canary) and one with an increased N application rate (reference) versus a bulk area N application rate. In a preferred method, sub-regions are defined in a field being managed. In each sub-region, N (nitrogen) is applied to create adjacent canary and reference plots, wherein a canary plot is given less than a designated N amount and a reference plot. The sub-regions are subsequently imaged. A fertigation decision is made for each sub-region based upon automatic analysis of the vegetation indices of the canary and reference plots in each sub-region.