Abstract
It is crucial to know spatial soil variability for precision farming. However, it is time-consuming, and difficult to measure spatial soil properties. Therefore, there are needs fur sensing technology to estimate spatial soil variability, and for electronic mapping technology to store, manipulate and process the sampled data. This research was conducted to develop a real-time soil organic matter sensor and an electronic mapping system. A soil organic matter sensor was developed with a spectrophotometer in the 900∼1,700 nm range. It was designed in a penetrator type to measure reflectance of soil at 15cm depth. The signal was calibrated with organic matter content (OMC) of the soil which was sampled in the field. The OMC was measured by the Walkeley-Black method. The soil OMCs were ranged from 0.07 to 7.96%. Statistical partial least square and principle component regression analyses were used as calibration methods. Coefficient of determination, standard error prediction and bias were 0.85 0.72 and -0.13, respectively. The electronic mapping system was consisted of the soil OMC sensor, a DGPS, a database and a makeshift vehicle. An algorithm was developed to acquire data on sampling position and its OMC and to store the data in the database. Fifty samples in fields were taken to make an N-fertilizer dosage map. Mean absolute error of these data was 0.59. The Kring method was used to interpolate data between sampling nodes. The interpolated data was used to make a soil OMC map. Also an N-fertilizer dosage map was drawn using the soil OMC map. The N-fertilizer dosage was determined by the fertilizing equation recommended by National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology in Korea. Use of the N-fertilizer dosage map would increase precision fertilization up to 91% compared with conventional fertilization. Therefore, the developed electronic mapping system was feasible to not only precision determination of N-fertilizer dosage, but also reduction of environmental pollution.
