Announcement for the Training Program: "Optimizing Management for Precision Farming: A Systems Approach" March 10 - 15, 1997, Gainesville, Florida ****************************************************************** ******** WWW-SITE: http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~workshop/ ******** ****************************************************************** ### SPONSORED BY: - University of Florida, Gainesville - Wageningen Agricultural University - University of Georgia - International Fertilizer Development Center - International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications (ICASA) ### RATIONALE Precision Farming has a goal of optimizing the use of soil and water resources and chemical inputs (fertilizers and pesticides) on a site-specific basis. This goal is now technically feasible due to recent advances in sensor technology and controllers that allows variable rate application of materials across a field. Technological advances in GPS, remote sensing, grain yield monitoring, and GIS provide new opportunities for characterizing variability in crop fields. These new tools have now shown that many crop fields are highly variable, thereby reducing overall field yield and resource use efficiency. However, once one has a measure of the spatial variability, optimizing management requires an understanding of what caused the variability first of all, and a method to determine optimal management over the field. Crop simulation models are needed to help consultants, researchers, and other farm advisors determine the pattern of field management that optimizes production or profit. However, the effective use of these tools requires their evaluation in fields to be optimized, their integration with other information tools such as GIS, geostatistics, remote sensing, and optimization analysis. A comprehensive crop model application package has been developed by researchers from several countries. This system, DSSAT v3.1, incorporates crop/soil/weather models, data input and management software, and analysis programs for optimizing production or profit for homogenous fields. It also has features linking DSSAT crop models with GIS, geostatistics, and other software to enable users to optimize management over spatially-variable fields considering a number of important factors that affect crop development and yield. This training program is designed to provide participants with necessary concepts and a practical working knowledge of these tools, with case study projects. It will also provide them with information on how to link crop model components with other packages being designed and developed for practical application to precision farming. ### PROGRAM GOAL AND OBJECTIVES The overall goal of this training program is to increase the capabilities of participants to apply quantitative tools to optimize management of spatially-variable fields, taking advantage of new sources of information, methods for its use, and equipment for precision farming. Specifically, the program will focus on: 1. Information tools for managing spatial data, including GIS, Remote Sensing, and Yield monitoring data. 2. Analysis software to gain insight into the magnitude of spatial variability and possible reasons for this variability, including kriging, correlation, and crop and soil model approaches. 3. Description of CERES and CROPGRO crop simulation models, focusing on corn, wheat, and soybean crops, and information required for their applications to spatially-variable fields. 4. Operation of the DSSAT v3.1 software system, including components linking DSSAT crop models with GIS and spatial analysis programs. 5. Example applications of DSSAT v3.1 to optimize management in specific field situations. ### PROGRAM CONTENT This training program will describe concepts of spatial variability and precision farming. It will describe practical approaches for characterizing spatial variability and methods for analyzing reasons for the variability. The program will make extensive use of "hands-on" practical sessions that demonstrate the concepts, software for analyzing spatial data, and models for determining management that optimizes production, taking into account possible effects on the environment. The program will make extensive use of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) v3.1 software package. This comprehensive package includes the CERES (maize, wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, and millet) CROPGRO (soybean, peanut, dry bean, and tomato), SUBSTOR (potato), and CROPSIM (cassava) models for crop growth and yield. These models respond to weather, soil water holding and root growth characteristics, cultivar, water management, nitrogen management, and row spacing/plant population. The program will describe information inputs required by these models, outputs predicted by the models, and methods to interpret uncertainty and risk associated with uncertain inputs. The DSSAT also includes links to GIS and remote sensing information, which allows mapping of spatially variable inputs across a field and mapping of predicted outputs from the models, such as yield, nitrogen leaching, water use, etc. The entire DSSAT v3.1 will be provided to each participant along with documentation on its use. The program length will be six working days. ### OUTLINE: Day 1 Concepts of Precision Farming GPS, Yield Maps, GIS, and Remote Sensing Tools Day 2 Characterizing spatial variability of fields Spatial Interpolation of Point Data, Relating Remote Sensing Images to Yield Maps, GIS Technology for Digital Terrain Map Analysis, Spatial Data Bases for Crop Model Analyses Day 3 Crop Simulation Models Overview of Concepts DSSAT v3.1 Operation Example Corn, Soybean, and Wheat Crop Simulations Day 4 Soil Water and Nutrient Components Data in DSSAT v3.1 for Applying Crop Models Model Evaluation Exercises Day 5 Optimizing Management for a Homogenous Field Obtaining Inputs for Spatially Variable Fields Simulating Different Segments of a Spatially-Variable Field Economic Analysis Day 6 Optimizing Management for Spatially Variable Fields: Case Studies ### QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPLICATION 1. Participants should be university graduates currently engaged in crop consulting, research on precision farming, providing advice to farmers on precision farming, or development of information tools and methods for precision farming. 2. They should have an understanding of crop production systems and be relatively familiar with terminology in crop production. 3. They should be familiar with personal computers, including DOS and Windows operating environments, and with the operation of software packages in these environments. Computer programming skills are not required. 4. They should be fluent in English. ### TRAINING FACULTY Dr. James W. Jones, University of Florida, Dr. Kenneth J. Boote, University of Florida Dr. Johan Bouma, Wageningen Agricultural University, Dr. Harry Booltink, Wageningen Agricultural University Dr. Gerrit Hoogenboom, University of Georgia Dr. Philip Thornton, International Livestock Research Center, Kenya Dr. Paul Wilkens, International Fertilizer Development Center, Dr. Harold Reetz, Potash & Phosphate Institute and other experts from University of Florida, Wageningen Agricultural University, and ICASA ### REGISTRATION There are four ways to register: Mail: Optimizing Management for Precision Farming: A Systems Approach International Programs/Training Unit P.O. Box 110329 Gainesville, FL 32611-0329, United States of America Fax: +1 (352) 392-7127 Tel: +1 (352) 392-1965 Email: [log in to unmask] In order to register, you have to provide all information on the registration form. This form can be obtained by writing to the address above, or preferably, by downloading the registration form from our WWW-site: http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~workshop/ QUARANTY AND REGISTRATION DEADLINE: To guarantee enrollment, payment must be made with a purchase order, check or credit card by February 1, 1997. Enrollment is limited to 25 participants. Priorities for enrollment will be on the basis of date of receipt of payment. REGISTRATION FEE: The fee for this training workshop is $1,900. It covers registration for the six-day program, resource material including DSSAT v3.1 software, and tea/coffee breaks. It does not cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, or lodging during the program nor air transportation and health insurance. Each participant is responsible for these costs. Food and hotel lodging will average about $75/day. LODGING: Rooms for participants will be reserved in the Rush Lake Motel. This is a good quality motel which is located close to the university campus and several restaurants. It is a 15-minute walk to the university campus or the city bus can be used ($0.75 per ride). Special arrangements can be made for parking on campus. Please indicate on your registration form if you would like to have lodging reserved at the Rush Lake Motel. Payment for lodging is to be made directly to the motel (advanced payment is not required). VISA: A visa is required for entry into the United States. Each Participant must obtain a visitor visa from the Embassy or Consulate of the United States in his or her country of residence. PROGRAM CANCELLATION POLICIES: Cancellation of pre-registration must be made at least 72 hours before the program begins in order to avoid being billed 25 percent of the registration fee. Substitution of personnel is recommended in lieu of cancellation. Pre-registrants who fail to attend or to send a substitute are liable for full registration fee. To cancel a registration, call (352) 392-7127. In the event the program is cancelled for any reason, the organizers will not be responsible for any cancellation changes or charges assessed by airlines or travel agencies. ### MORE INFORMATION More information on the training program can be found in the above mentioned WWW-site. If you have specific questions on program information (NOT on registration and facilities information!!!), your may direct them to: Dr James W. Jones Agricultural & Biological Engineering Dept. University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611-0570 Fax: +1 (352) 392-4092 Email: [log in to unmask]