Current implementation of site-specific technologies in U.S. cotton production

Edward M. Barnes

doi:10.1117/12.558655

9 November 2004 Current implementation of site-specific technologies in U.S. cotton production

Edward M. Barnes

Proceedings Volume 5544, Remote Sensing and Modeling of Ecosystems for Sustainability; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.558655
Event: Optical Science and Technology, the SPIE 49th Annual Meeting, 2004, Denver, Colorado, United States

Abstract

The initial adoption of site-specific management for cotton production was slower than by commodities grown in the mid-west. Part of the delayed adoption can be explained by the lack of functional cotton yield monitors. Now that yield monitors are commercially available, cotton producers are beginning to find many applications for geospatial technologies. The emphasis of this paper is on applications that are being implemented at some level on commercial farms. Traditional grid-based soil sampling has found some use for pre-plant application of fertilizer, and soil conductivity mapping has been used to apply variable rate soil amendments in the west. During the growing season, vegetation indices such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) have been used as a tool to direct scouting for insect infestations. The scouting information and NDVI are combined to create variable rate insecticide application maps. A catalyst to this approach has been the recent development of aerial variable rate application technology. In some production regions, it is necessary to control cotton's vegetative development rate with plant growth regulators (PGRs). Vegetation indices are very useful for defining areas of the field where PGRs are needed. Research is also being conducted on the use of imagery for the development of defoliation application maps before harvest. In the short-term, simple vegetation indices can meet many of management information needs for cotton when combined with directed scouting of the field. However, to be ultimately successful, dependable and frequent sources of imagery will be required. Near-real time delivery is essential, as a majority of the management decisions are often made on a daily basis. Most producer-based applications of these data have been from airborne platforms managed by local image providers where flexible image acquisition schedules are possible.

Citation Download Citation

Edward M. Barnes "Current implementation of site-specific technologies in U.S. cotton production", Proc. SPIE 5544, Remote Sensing and Modeling of Ecosystems for Sustainability, (9 November 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.558655

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