AP511 Precision Agriculture

DESCRIPTION

This unit provides knowledge of the nature and scope of precision agriculture in the context of spatial and temporal variability in agricultural systems. It also provides students with a theoretical understanding of how the technologies work along with hands on experience through field visits in use and application of various precision agriculture systems for both a production and research applications.

RELEVANT COURSES

Master of Agricultural Information Management*

Master of Business Administration (Agribusiness)

*Core unit

Elective unit

Master of Agriculture specialisation in Agriculture Information Systems

CREDIT POINTS

10

DELIVERY MODE

On campus

Online

Mixed mode

Intensive

Extensive

PREREQUISITE OR CO-REQUISITE

IM501 Agriculture Data and Information Management

AP501 Food, Fibre and Protein

UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES

LO1 Apply advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to analyse complex problems in precision agriculture

LO2 Develop solutions to problems in food and fibre production that use precision technologies

LO3 Communicate the objectives and specific applications of precision agriculture in various farming systems to a variety of audiences

LO4 Critically evaluate physical and economic factors in the context of a given agricultural production scenario, and develop a precision agriculture technology application for the scenario

LO5 Perform independent evaluation of sources of data, including data related to integration of multiple systems of precision agriculture

CONTENT

  • Introduction to precision agriculture (PA): historical review of development and status of current available technologies, and overview of some economic barriers and technical obstacles when applying variable -rate application
  • Precise vs accurate data, key agriculture and environmental datasets: overview of Smart Farming Technologies (SFT) covering a range of different aspects of PA including data acquisition technologies, data analysis and evaluation; and technologies and precision application technologies
  • GPS and remote sensing: Physics of light, cameras and images, IoT sensing
  • Image processing software ENVI and classification; applications in agriculture and environment
  • Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
  • GIS and applications – What why and how of using a GIS for agricultural decision making
  • GIS and land management maps – What are they and how to combine key agricultural and environmental data into a map
  • Industry speaker – precision livestock development
  • Industry speaker – Controlled traffic farming systems; economics of PA
  • Yield monitoring and mapping
  • Practical goal of Site-Specific Crop Management (SSCM) and Variable Rate Technology (VRT)
  • Economics and perspectives of site-specific irrigation management with a focus on automated furrow irrigation – a new technology being developed commercially and offered to farmers in Australia

ASSESSMENT METHODS

  1. Essay and mapping – 10%
  2. Practical – 40%
  3. Exam – 50%

PRESCRIBED READINGS

Shannon, D. K., & Clay, D. E. (2020). Precision Agriculture Basics. UK: Wiley

Check with the lecturer each semester before purchasing any textbooks