Dissertations and Theses

Precision agriculture in Podzols with variations in the relief forms under sugar cane cultivation

Author: Rodrigo Baracat Sanchez

Keywords: spatial variability; granulometry; thickness; chemical attributes; ART; pedoforms; mathematical model

Link

Summary

The objective of this work was the application of precision agriculture methods related to mathematical models for cost reduction in the fertilization of different pedoforms of an eutrophic Red Yellow Argisol in an area under sugarcane cultivation in Catanduva region, . The studied area presented two different pedoforms (one concave, C + P +, and another convex, C-P-). In a total area of 200 ha, a mesh containing 623 points spaced 50 meters apart was installed in order to analyze the spatial variability of the granulometric parameters, soil chemistry and raw material quality (ART - total reducing sugars). Soil samples were collected at all points of the mesh, at a depth of 0.0-0.2 meters, and later granulometric, chemical and quality analyzes were carried out in laboratories of the São Domingos Açúcar and Álcool S / A Plant. In this same area another mesh was made containing 188 points spaced by a distance of 150 meters for spatial analysis of the thickness. The descriptive statistics were calculated, and the spatial dependence among the samples was determined by means of geostatistics, using semivariograms. Kriging maps were made for the attributes studied. The results showed that the use of precision agriculture correlated with the mathematical model, developed in this sugar and alcohol unit, is the most effective way to reduce costs for the application of fertilizers. Being that, the concave pedoform required 12% less of fertilizers when compared with the convex pedoform. These results were possible since the soils located in the concave area have greater fertility in relation to the convex area. It is important to point out that the results obtained with the use of mathematical modeling are only indexes for the reduction of costs. With this, the use of AP techniques may over the years bring significant gains in production systems, since it identifies specific areas of management.

Related Papers

Variabilidade espacial de atributos do solo e de fatores de erosão em diferentes pedoformas. / Spatial variability of soil attributes and of erosion factors in different landforms.