Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder Crop
In Mediterranean farming systems, the semi-arid conditions and agricultural ecosystems have made site-specific management an important approach. This method aims to understand and handle the variability of soil properties and crop management, particularly through the utilization of geospatial inform...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | AgriEngineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/6/1/13 |
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| author | Luís Alcino Conceição Luís Silva Constantino Valero Luís Loures Benvindo Maçãs |
| author_facet | Luís Alcino Conceição Luís Silva Constantino Valero Luís Loures Benvindo Maçãs |
| author_sort | Luís Alcino Conceição |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Mediterranean farming systems, the semi-arid conditions and agricultural ecosystems have made site-specific management an important approach. This method aims to understand and handle the variability of soil properties and crop management, particularly through the utilization of geospatial information and accessible technology. Over three years in a 30 ha experimental field located in the Alentejo region (Portugal), crop establishment was monitored using data from soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa), remote sensing (Sentinel-2), and <i>in situ</i> soil sampling. The procedure began with Step 1, involving the acquisition of soil spatial information and spatial interpolation. Subsequently, in Step 2, management zones (MZs) for soil characteristics were delineated using a combination of ECa measurements and soil analysis, and Step 3 spanned over three years of gathering meteorological data and crop remote sensing measurements. In Step 4, site-specific crop MZs were delineated by vegetation indexes (VIs). This article aims to increase the importance of in situ and remote assessments to more accurately identify areas with different productive potential. Results showed three MZs based on the percentage of sand, ECa, altimetry, exchangeable calcium, and exchangeable calcium properties, validated by crop VIs (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Red-Edge Index (NDRE), and Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI)) over time. Although there are many sensorial techniques available for site-specific management, this paper emphasizes a methodology for the farmer to identify different MZs combining remote and in situ evaluations, supporting new opportunities for a more rational use of natural resources. Based on soil parameters, three site-specific management areas could be selected. NDMI was the index that best explained the MZs created according to soil properties. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:38:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-905f2284949d4b4c8f0c778e0212c61b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-7402 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:38:58Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AgriEngineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-905f2284949d4b4c8f0c778e0212c61b2024-03-27T13:16:17ZengMDPI AGAgriEngineering2624-74022024-01-016120522710.3390/agriengineering6010013Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder CropLuís Alcino Conceição0Luís Silva1Constantino Valero2Luís Loures3Benvindo Maçãs4Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-110 Portalegre, PortugalPolytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-110 Portalegre, PortugalLPF-TAGRALIA, School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB), Technical University of Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro 2-4, 28040 Madrid, SpainPolytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-110 Portalegre, PortugalNational Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research, I.P., 7350-901 Elvas, PortugalIn Mediterranean farming systems, the semi-arid conditions and agricultural ecosystems have made site-specific management an important approach. This method aims to understand and handle the variability of soil properties and crop management, particularly through the utilization of geospatial information and accessible technology. Over three years in a 30 ha experimental field located in the Alentejo region (Portugal), crop establishment was monitored using data from soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa), remote sensing (Sentinel-2), and <i>in situ</i> soil sampling. The procedure began with Step 1, involving the acquisition of soil spatial information and spatial interpolation. Subsequently, in Step 2, management zones (MZs) for soil characteristics were delineated using a combination of ECa measurements and soil analysis, and Step 3 spanned over three years of gathering meteorological data and crop remote sensing measurements. In Step 4, site-specific crop MZs were delineated by vegetation indexes (VIs). This article aims to increase the importance of in situ and remote assessments to more accurately identify areas with different productive potential. Results showed three MZs based on the percentage of sand, ECa, altimetry, exchangeable calcium, and exchangeable calcium properties, validated by crop VIs (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Red-Edge Index (NDRE), and Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI)) over time. Although there are many sensorial techniques available for site-specific management, this paper emphasizes a methodology for the farmer to identify different MZs combining remote and in situ evaluations, supporting new opportunities for a more rational use of natural resources. Based on soil parameters, three site-specific management areas could be selected. NDMI was the index that best explained the MZs created according to soil properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/6/1/13conservation agriculturenatural resourcesinformation managementagricultural planningresilience |
| spellingShingle | Luís Alcino Conceição Luís Silva Constantino Valero Luís Loures Benvindo Maçãs Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder Crop AgriEngineering conservation agriculture natural resources information management agricultural planning resilience |
| title | Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder Crop |
| title_full | Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder Crop |
| title_fullStr | Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder Crop |
| title_full_unstemmed | Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder Crop |
| title_short | Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Validation through the Vigour of a Fodder Crop |
| title_sort | delineation of soil management zones and validation through the vigour of a fodder crop |
| topic | conservation agriculture natural resources information management agricultural planning resilience |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/6/1/13 |
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