Fusions, overlays and management zones

Abstract

Site-specific farming can be based on various signals about soil- and crop properties. And some farming operations might need a control that relies simultaneously on several properties. However, the control of an individual farming operation requires singular and unambiguous site-specific signals. Hence, information about soil- and crop properties must be merged. Means to achieve this are sensor-fusion, map-overlay and management zones. Sensor-fusion can be a reasonable approach for signals independent of their temporal stability, preferably for online control, yet also for delayed control via mapping. Map-overlay as well as management zones should be based on properties that are temporally stable. All these technologies for merging the information depend on a solid logic for the fusion of site-specific signals. This logic should be oriented at high yields in an environmentally sustainable manner.