Control of Precision Agriculture Production

Abstract

This chapter discusses the technologies and methods commonly used in spatial and temporal sensing, the information spatial and temporal data could bring in, and the challenge for making such data observable in controlling a precision crop production system. It introduces a new concept of formulating a systematic method for making appropriate operation decisions based on yield potential or estimated yield in a format similar to a control system. Precision agriculture is a farming management method that allows farmers to optimize their resource inputs to achieve their production potential in response to observed inter- and intrafield variability in soil properties and crop growth conditions. The relationship between the elements in a PA system can be represented using a block diagram. Temporal measurement of spatial variability of crop growth information, such as color, density, and height, during different growing stages, contains essential information indicating crop growth conditions and is more observable than soil properties in estimating yield.