Site-Specific Fertilizer Recommendations from Yield and Soil Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fertilizer recommendation methods fail to account for in-field variability and long-term dynamics in agricultural fields, leading to suboptimal nutrient distribution and environmental damage.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that adjusts fertilizer recommendations based on position-dependent yield data from prior crop seasons, incorporating remote sensing and local data to consider soil properties and long-term dynamics, enabling nutrient-specific corrections and optimal application timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote sensing is used to determine crop nitrogen levels, then in-field inspection is avoided and determination can be performed remotely, but the method does not assess other parameters dependent of soil varying properties and long-term dynamics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines remote sensing data with in-field soil property data and historical yield data to create a comprehensive fertilizer recommendation system. This merging allows the system to maintain the convenience of remote determination while recovering the lost information about soil properties and long-term dynamics through integration with ground-based measurements and historical records.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary data processing layer that integrates multiple data sources (remote sensing, soil properties, historical yield data) to derive comprehensive fertilizer recommendations. This intermediary system reconciles the advantages of remote sensing with the necessary ground truth data about soil and long-term field dynamics.
2Measurement precision
If a multi-variable model is used to identify crop response zones, then comprehensive analysis is achieved, but computational effort increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the field into response zones based on multiple variables (remote sensing data, soil properties, historical yield) and processes each zone independently. This segmentation allows comprehensive analysis of crop response zones while reducing overall computational burden by dividing the complex analysis into manageable spatial units rather than processing the entire field as one large complex model.
3Device complexity
If uniform fertilizer recommendation is applied to the whole field, then simplicity is maintained, but in-field variability due to soil properties is not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by deriving fertilizer recommendations that are specific to each field zone's unique characteristics (soil properties, remote sensing data, historical yield). Instead of a uniform recommendation for the entire field, each zone receives customized fertilizer advice tailored to its local conditions, thereby achieving precise nutrient distribution while maintaining manageable system complexity through zone-based differentiation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for adjusting a fertilizer recommendation for an agronomic field based on remote sensing and the determination of a position dependent yield for adjusting it. In different embodiments, different approaches for a nutrient specific fertilizer recommendation adjustment are envisaged, including the selection of a fertilizer product.