Springer Netherlands
Dordrecht
Springer
11540
10.1007/11540.1871-4528
0014-3065
1871-4528
Potato Research
Journal of the European Association for Potato Research
Potato Res.
Life Sciences
Plant Sciences
Agriculture
Plant Genetics and Genomics
Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Biomedical and Life Sciences
60
60
5
3
4
Special Issue: Proceedings of the 20th Triennial Conference of the EAPR, Versailles, July 2017, Potato facing global challenges
17
2018
8
31
2018
8
31
2017
12
2017
European Association for Potato Research
2017
9357
10.1007/s11540-018-9357-4
8
Advances in Variable Rate Technology Application in Potato in The Netherlands
295
305
2018
1
19
2018
2
19
Wageningen University
The Author(s)
2018
Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Corné
Kempenaar
corne.kempenaar@wur.nl
Thomas
Been
Johan
Booij
Frits
van
Evert
Jean-Marie
Michielsen
Corné
Kocks
0000 0001 0791 5666
grid.4818.5
Department of Agro Systems Research
Wageningen University & Research
PO Box 16, NL
6700 AA
Wageningen
the Netherlands
Department of Toegepast Praktijkonderzoek
Aeres University of Applied Sciences
De Drieslag 4, NL
8251 JZ
Dronten
the Netherlands
Abstract
Precision agriculture is a farming management concept based on observing, measuring and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. In this paper, we focus on responding to intra-field variability in potato crops and analyse variable rate applications (VRAs). We made an overview of potential VRAs in potato crop management in The Netherlands. We identified 13 potential VRAs in potato, ranging from soil tillage to planting to crop care to selective harvest. We ranked them on availability of ‘proof of concept’ and on-farm test results. For five VRAs, we found test results allowing to make a cost-benefit assessment. These five VRAs were as follows: planting, soil herbicide weed control, N side dress, late blight control and haulm killing. They use one of two types of spatial data: soil maps or biomass index maps. Data on costs and savings of the VRAs showed that the investments in VRAs will pay off under practical conditions in The Netherlands. Savings on pesticide use and N-fertilizer use with the VRAs were on average about 25%, which benefits the environment too. We foresee a slow but gradual adoption of VRAs in potato production. More VRAs will become available given ongoing R&D. The perspectives of VRAs in potatoes are discussed.
Keywords
Cost-benefit analysis
Decision support
Information technology
Precision agriculture
Smart farming
Abbreviations
a.i.
Active ingredient
CBA
Cost-benefit assessment
DSS
Decision support system
FMIS
Farm management information system
GIS
Geographical information system
GNSS
Global navigation satellite system
IT
Information technology
NIR
Near-infra-red
PA
Precision agriculture
PAT
Precision agriculture technology
PAA
Precision agriculture application
PF
Precision farming
VR
Variable rate
VRA
Variable rate application