Farm Image - the future in precision farming GPS sampling and soil sampling.

SoilQuest

Overview

If the arable sector is going to capitalise on the potential benefits of precision technology then it is vital that an understanding of the causes and extent of within field crop variability are obtained. Yield maps, for example, demonstrate the effect rather than the cause of in-field variability.

Soilquest uses soil electro-conductivity to generate finely detailed and highly accurate soil maps directly related to crop nutrition and the factors affecting crop production:

SoilQuest Cultivations

SoilQuest Crop Type and Variety

SoilQuest Nutrient Requirement

SoilQuest Status & Availability

SoilQuest N Residual Carryover &

SoilQuest Crop Requirement

SoilQuest Pest Risks

SoilQuest Disease Risks

SoilQuest Compaction Risk

Seed Rate

SoilQuest Weed Spectrum

And provides a basis for targeting such variation.

Why Not Grid Sampling?

There are no straight lines in nature...

Grid sampling is offered by many companies involved in Precision Farming.

Research has concluded that grid sampling requires much finer grid densities than used commercially to produce accurate nutrient maps.

By taking 16 sub samples around each grid point on a 15m radius circle only 5% of the field is represented in the soil sample.

Sampling density and analysis costs can be reduced by dividing a field into management zone based upon soil texture without any loss in accuracy.

How it works

A Veris EC Cart is pulled through the field on a bout basis continually measuring the electrical conductivity at two depths 0-30cm and 30-90cm. This data is then processed to provide the familiar soil maps.

Areas of contrasting soil properties are identified (in non-saline soils - soil texture) and are used to define management zones which in turn allow specific sampling, treatments, operations and cropping decisions to be targeted to soil type.

Every zone is sampled all over using accurate GPS to create a composite sample representative of that zone - thus the entire field is soil sampled. Direct contact EC measurement means a more reliable stable result as opposed to EMI systems which need constant calibration (even within a field) and cannot measure dual depths in one pass.

Need More Info on SoilQuest?

If you would like to find out more about our techniques and processes then you can view our PDF brochure or ask a no-obligations question using our contact page.

What the Experts say:

Z L Frogbrook (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bangor) & M A Oliver (University of Reading)

“Patterns in the variation of Soil Conductivity could be used to delineate areas in a field where the soil was similar and that could be managed uniformly.”

“There was a strong correlation between Soil Conductivity and soil particle size fractions [which] relate to nutrient holding capacity, structure and drainage.”

Soilquest Examples

Example 1

Soilquest on light chalky land.

Example 2

Soilquest on heavy clay with flints.

Example 3

A working of how Soilquest can save you money.