Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in Cotton
Farmers may be reluctant to adopt variable rate nitrogen (VRN) management because of uncertain profits. This study assessed field landscape, soil, and weather effects on optical sensing (OS)-based VRN on cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) N rates, yields, and net returns (NRs). Field...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/12/1858 |
| _version_ | 1797546799128379392 |
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| author | James A. Larson Melissa Stefanini Xinhua Yin Christopher N. Boyer Dayton M. Lambert Xia Vivian Zhou Brenda S. Tubaña Peter Scharf Jac J. Varco David J. Dunn Hubert J. Savoy Michael J. Buschermohle |
| author_facet | James A. Larson Melissa Stefanini Xinhua Yin Christopher N. Boyer Dayton M. Lambert Xia Vivian Zhou Brenda S. Tubaña Peter Scharf Jac J. Varco David J. Dunn Hubert J. Savoy Michael J. Buschermohle |
| author_sort | James A. Larson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Farmers may be reluctant to adopt variable rate nitrogen (VRN) management because of uncertain profits. This study assessed field landscape, soil, and weather effects on optical sensing (OS)-based VRN on cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) N rates, yields, and net returns (NRs). Field data were collected from 21 locations in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, USA, between 2011 and 2014. Data included yields, N rates, and NRs for the farmer practice (FP), OS-based VRN, and OS-based VRN supplemented with other information. Production data were augmented with landscape, soils, and weather data, and ANOVA and logistic regressions were used to identify field conditions where VRN was profitable, provided risk management benefits, and improved N efficiency. Key findings indicate that NRs were improved with VRN by applying additional N on more erodible soils. Higher organic matter soils also benefited from VRN through enhanced yields and NRs. VRN may also have provided risk management benefits by providing a lower probability of NRs below NRs for the FP on soils associated with greater water-holding capacity, higher organic matter levels, or deeper profiles. Results from this study may help identify farm fields with similar characteristics for adoption of VRN management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:34:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b9a2dbcc6daf48b8b2bebadf76ba8205 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:34:19Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9a2dbcc6daf48b8b2bebadf76ba82052023-11-20T22:20:38ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952020-11-011012185810.3390/agronomy10121858Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in CottonJames A. Larson0Melissa Stefanini1Xinhua Yin2Christopher N. Boyer3Dayton M. Lambert4Xia Vivian Zhou5Brenda S. Tubaña6Peter Scharf7Jac J. Varco8David J. Dunn9Hubert J. Savoy10Michael J. Buschermohle11Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USADepartment of Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USADepartment of Plant Sciences, West Tennessee Research & Education Center, University of Tennessee, Jackson, TN 38301, USADepartment of Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USADepartment of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USADepartment of Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USASchool of Plant, Environmental & Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USADivision of Plant Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USADepartment of Plant & Soil Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USADivision of Plant Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USADepartment of Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USADepartment of Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USAFarmers may be reluctant to adopt variable rate nitrogen (VRN) management because of uncertain profits. This study assessed field landscape, soil, and weather effects on optical sensing (OS)-based VRN on cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) N rates, yields, and net returns (NRs). Field data were collected from 21 locations in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, USA, between 2011 and 2014. Data included yields, N rates, and NRs for the farmer practice (FP), OS-based VRN, and OS-based VRN supplemented with other information. Production data were augmented with landscape, soils, and weather data, and ANOVA and logistic regressions were used to identify field conditions where VRN was profitable, provided risk management benefits, and improved N efficiency. Key findings indicate that NRs were improved with VRN by applying additional N on more erodible soils. Higher organic matter soils also benefited from VRN through enhanced yields and NRs. VRN may also have provided risk management benefits by providing a lower probability of NRs below NRs for the FP on soils associated with greater water-holding capacity, higher organic matter levels, or deeper profiles. Results from this study may help identify farm fields with similar characteristics for adoption of VRN management.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/12/1858economicsnormalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)on-the-go sensorssite-specific nutrient management |
| spellingShingle | James A. Larson Melissa Stefanini Xinhua Yin Christopher N. Boyer Dayton M. Lambert Xia Vivian Zhou Brenda S. Tubaña Peter Scharf Jac J. Varco David J. Dunn Hubert J. Savoy Michael J. Buschermohle Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in Cotton Agronomy economics normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) on-the-go sensors site-specific nutrient management |
| title | Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in Cotton |
| title_full | Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in Cotton |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in Cotton |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in Cotton |
| title_short | Effects of Landscape, Soils, and Weather on Yields, Nitrogen Use, and Profitability with Sensor-Based Variable Rate Nitrogen Management in Cotton |
| title_sort | effects of landscape soils and weather on yields nitrogen use and profitability with sensor based variable rate nitrogen management in cotton |
| topic | economics normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) on-the-go sensors site-specific nutrient management |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/12/1858 |
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