Remote sensing for Northern Plains precision agriculture

Precision agriculture allows for managing inherent spatial crop and soil variability within farm fields. However, detailed spatial information on crop controlling factors is needed for supporting management plans and controlling field operations. Remote sensing provides opportunities for acquiring information on wheat yields, weed infestations, management zones, and other factors that affect sustainable farm management in the Northern Plains. This paper describes remote sensing applications research for precision wheat management in Montana. For example, digitized aerial photographs are used to determine the need for supplemental mid-season N application to increase grain protein levels. Satellite AVHRR/NDVI is used to monitor seasonal changes and predict yields for harvest and market planning. A goal of the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC) is delivery of near-real-time remote sensing data via the Internet, allowing farmers and ranchers access to images that influence their decisions. UMAC is promoting the concept of learning groups that include farm, research, and industry participants. Participants explore applications of GPS/GIS, remote sensing, and precision agriculture technologies.