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Agriculture
Special Issues
Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies
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Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 42189

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gonçalo C. Rodrigues

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Guest Editor
LEAF, Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture And Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: precision irrigation; farming sustainability; agroeconomics; water resource management; irrigation efficiecy; precision agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Precision Agriculture (PA) is defined by ISPA as a management strategy that gathers, processes and analyses temporal, spatial and individual data and combines it with other information to support management decisions according to estimated variability for improved resource use efficiency, productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability of agricultural production. It aims to obtain higher productivities, sustainable incomes and optimizes use of resources, while minimizing environmental impacts.

PA involves the adoption of technological advances, such as crop and soil sensors, remote sensing, GIS technology, variable rate application machinery and technology to name a few, in combination with data processing and assessment. This allows for improved decision making aiming for a more rational use of farming inputs, bringing economic and environmental benefits. However, the level of PA adoption is still low at a global scale. Apparent but unknown constraints are limiting the proliferation of its adoption. One should ask: with all the apparent benefits of PA, why it is not widespread?

This Special Issue intends to assess the adoption rates, bottlenecks for adoption, adoption promotion, strategic plans and incentives of PA in agroecosystems. All types of manuscripts (original research and reviews) providing reports and new insights on the adoption of Precision Agriculture are welcome. Articles may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Implementation and adoption of PA;
  • Economic and environmental benefits of PA;
  • Main bottlenecks for adoption of PA;
  • Policies and incentives to promote PA;
  • Benefits of Big Data and IoT in PA;
  • Adoption of digitalization and robotics.

Prof. Dr. Gonçalo C. Rodrigues
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Precision agriculture
  • Precision farming
  • Implementation and adoption of PA technology
  • Bottlenecks for adoption
  • Big data and IoT
  • Digitalization
  • Robotics

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 183 KiB  
Editorial
Precision Agriculture: Strategies and Technology Adoption
by Gonçalo C. Rodrigues
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1474; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091474 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3848
Abstract
The adoption of digital technologies in the agricultural sector has been the focus of research in the last few years, assessing the benefits of using electronic devices, robots, sensors, automation and IoT to improve farming sustainability [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)

Research

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16 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Technology Acceptance, Adoption and Workforce on Australian Cotton Farms
by Nicole McDonald, Eloise S. Fogarty, Amy Cosby and Peter McIlveen
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1180; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081180 - 8 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3561
Abstract
The future of work is influenced by the digital transformation of industries, including agriculture. The current study aimed to understand the social drivers of automated technology acceptance and adoption in Australian cotton farms. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to compare those who [...] Read more.
The future of work is influenced by the digital transformation of industries, including agriculture. The current study aimed to understand the social drivers of automated technology acceptance and adoption in Australian cotton farms. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to compare those who were (a) currently using automated technology, (b) not currently using automated technology but considering adoption, and (c) not currently using automated technology and no intention to adopt. The research found that social factors and workforce considerations influence growers’ motivation to adopt automated technology on farms. Furthermore, differences on appraisals of perceived usefulness were observed when comparing growers with no intention to adopt automated technology with those considering adoption or who have adopted automated technology. Both perceived usefulness and ease of use barriers are challenges for those considering adoption of automated technology. Support that improves ease of use for those who have adopted automated technology is important for continued appraisals of perceived usefulness of automated technology. Further research to understand antecedents to appraisals of perceived usefulness and ease of use, and how these interact to influence acceptance and automated technology, is required to inform strategic workforce interventions that support the digital transformation of cotton farms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
24 pages, 1715 KiB  
Article
An Integrated Assessment of Different Types of Environment-Friendly Technological Progress and Their Spatial Spillover Effects in the Chinese Agriculture Sector
by Guang Chen, Yue Deng, Apurbo Sarkar and Zhengbing Wang
Agriculture 2022, 12(7), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12071043 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2069
Abstract
The progress of environment-friendly technology is an important means and fundamental way to achieve high-quality agricultural development. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces of China from 2000 to 2010, the study used the slack-based models (SBM) to measure the progress of [...] Read more.
The progress of environment-friendly technology is an important means and fundamental way to achieve high-quality agricultural development. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces of China from 2000 to 2010, the study used the slack-based models (SBM) to measure the progress of China’s environment-based technology and its different types and discusses its dynamic evolution characteristics over time. First, the study adopted MATLAB software and used a slack-based models (SBM) method to split the environment-friendly technology progress (AGTP) into agricultural emission-reduction environment-friendly technology progress (AEGTP) and the agricultural re-source-saving environment-friendly technology progress (ARGTP). Then, global and local spatial autocorrelation analysis, spatial model testing, and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) were performed on different types of environment-friendly technology progress using STATA15. Moreover, OpenGeoDa and ArcGIS software was used for visualization. The empirical results showed that: (i) from the perspective of time and space, the AGTP showed a slightly higher level in technological regression trend from 2000 to 2012, and rebounded rapidly from 2012 to 2019. In the spatial dimension, the spatial autocorrelation test results of environment-friendly technology progress at the global Moran I level showed a significant positive correlation; however, the phenomenon of the regional level showed a negative correlation. (ii) From the perspective of the type of heterogeneity, only the spatial distribution has a high degree of chance, and the aggregation area is more concentrated. Various influencing factors have a very significant impact on ACGTP but are less significant on agricultural resource-saving environment-friendly technology progress. However, various influencing factors have a more significant impact on the ACGTP than AEGTP. (iii) From the perspective of the spatial spillover effect, labor level, per capita agricultural gross product, and agricultural internal structure are positively and significantly related to environment-friendly technology progress and its different types. Agricultural price policy, financial support policy, economic environmental regulation, and administrative environmental regulation have significant negative effects on the progress of environment-friendly technology and its different types. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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13 pages, 5609 KiB  
Article
Soil Electrical Conductivity and Satellite-Derived Vegetation Indices for Evaluation of Phosphorus, Potassium and Magnesium Content, pH, and Delineation of Within-Field Management Zones
by Piotr Mazur, Dariusz Gozdowski and Elżbieta Wójcik-Gront
Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060883 - 19 Jun 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4268
Abstract
The optimization of soil sampling is very important in precision agriculture. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between selected spectral indices (NDWI—normalized difference water index and NDVI—normalized difference vegetation index) and apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC) with soil [...] Read more.
The optimization of soil sampling is very important in precision agriculture. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between selected spectral indices (NDWI—normalized difference water index and NDVI—normalized difference vegetation index) and apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC) with soil nutrient content (phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium) and pH. Moreover, the usefulness of these variables for the delineation of within-field management zones was assessed. The study was conducted in 2021 in central Poland at three maize fields with a total area approximately 100 ha. The analyses were performed based on 47 management zones, which were used for soil sampling. Significant positive correlations were observed between the NDVI for the bare soil and all the studied nutrient contents in the soil and pH. A very strong positive correlation was observed between the soil EC and the potassium content and a moderate correlation was found with the magnesium content. A multiple-regression analysis proved that the soil nutrient content, especially potassium and phosphorus, was strongly related to the EC and NDVI. The novelty of this study is that it proves the relationships between soil and the crop attributes, EC and NDVI, which can be measured at field scale relatively simply, and the crucial soil nutrients, phosphorus and potassium. This allows the results to be used for optimized variable-rate fertilization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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22 pages, 1751 KiB  
Article
Grape Quality Zoning and Selective Harvesting in Small Vineyards—To Adopt or Not to Adopt
by Ivana Rendulić Jelušić, Branka Šakić Bobić, Zoran Grgić, Saša Žiković, Mirela Osrečak, Ivana Puhelek, Marina Anić and Marko Karoglan
Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060852 - 13 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2610
Abstract
The practical application of grape quality zoning and selective harvesting in small vineyards (<1 ha) has not yet gained much importance worldwide. However, winegrowers with small vineyards are looking for ways to improve wine quality and maximise profit. Therefore, the aim of this [...] Read more.
The practical application of grape quality zoning and selective harvesting in small vineyards (<1 ha) has not yet gained much importance worldwide. However, winegrowers with small vineyards are looking for ways to improve wine quality and maximise profit. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the most predictive vegetation index for grape quality zoning among three vegetation indices—NDVI, NDRE, and OSAVI—at three grapevine growth stages for the efficient use in small vineyards for the selective harvesting and production of different wine types from the same vineyard. Multispectral images were used to delineate two vigour zones at three different growth stages. The target vines were sampled, and the most predictive vegetation index was determined by overlapping the quality and vigour structures for each site and year. A differential economic analysis was performed, considering only the costs and revenues associated with grape quality zoning. The results show that OSAVI is the least predictive, while NDVI and NDRE are useful for grape quality zoning and selective harvesting. Multi-year monitoring is required to determine the ideal growth stage for image acquisition. The use of grape quality zoning and selective harvesting can be economically efficient for small wineries producing two different “super-premium” wines from the same vineyard. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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15 pages, 484 KiB  
Article
Tendencies of Precision Agriculture in Ukraine: Disruptive Smart Farming Tools as Cooperation Drivers
by Oksana Hrynevych, Miguel Blanco Canto and Mercedes Jiménez García
Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 698; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050698 - 16 May 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4571
Abstract
Precision farming innovations are designed to improve the efficiency of agricultural activities via minimal initial input of material and human resources and avoiding harmful effects on the environment on one hand and automatizing the production on another hand, thus providing environmental, social and [...] Read more.
Precision farming innovations are designed to improve the efficiency of agricultural activities via minimal initial input of material and human resources and avoiding harmful effects on the environment on one hand and automatizing the production on another hand, thus providing environmental, social and economic benefits. In the article, the tendencies in the adoption of precision agriculture technologies (PAT) in Ukraine were observed, with a specific focus on cooperatives as a valuable tool of social and solidarity economy helping to achieve progress in local rural development. On the example of cooperatives, applying a technology acceptance model (TAM) has identified how the adoption of new smart farming tools influence their behavior in implementing technological innovations. The results of the study will be of particular interest to representatives of other cooperatives and to agribusiness players engaged in agriculture or software development. In addition, the outputs will be useful for researchers in the field of the socio-economic development of territories and the impact of new technologies on it, as well as for local governments and higher-level government officials, which can contribute to the implementation of better rural development strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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13 pages, 1289 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Yield and Yield Components of Several Crops Grown under Agro-Photovoltaic System in Korea
by Hyun Jo, Sovetgul Asekova, Mohammad Amin Bayat, Liakat Ali, Jong Tae Song, Yu-Shin Ha, Dong-Hyuck Hong and Jeong-Dong Lee
Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 619; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050619 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5851
Abstract
Renewable energy generation has attracted growing interest globally. The agro-photovoltaic (APV) system is a new alternative to conventional photovoltaic power plants, which can simultaneously generate renewable energy and increase agricultural productivity by the use of solar panels on the same farmland. The optimization [...] Read more.
Renewable energy generation has attracted growing interest globally. The agro-photovoltaic (APV) system is a new alternative to conventional photovoltaic power plants, which can simultaneously generate renewable energy and increase agricultural productivity by the use of solar panels on the same farmland. The optimization of crop yields and assessment of their environmental sensitivity under the solar panels have not yet been evaluated with various crop species. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performances and crop yields under the APV system and the open field with crop species such as rice, onion, garlic, rye, soybean, adzuki bean, monocropping corn, and mixed planting of corn with soybean in South Korea. The results indicated that there was statistically no negative impact of the APV system on the forage yield of rye and corn over two years, suggesting that forage crops under the APV system were suitable to producing forage yield for livestock. In addition, the measured forage quality of rye was not significantly different between the open field and the APV system. However, rice yield was statistically reduced under the APV system. The yield of legume crops and vegetables in this study did not show consistent statistical results in two years. For further study, crop yield trials will still be required for rice, soybean, adzuki bean, onion, and garlic for multiple years under the APV system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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14 pages, 31373 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Influence of Parameters of a Spraying System Designed for UAV Application on the Spraying Quality Based on Box–Behnken Response Surface Method
by Dashuai Wang, Sheng Xu, Zhuolin Li and Wujing Cao
Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020131 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2621
Abstract
With the development of precision agriculture (PA), low-altitude and low-volume spraying based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is playing an increasingly important role in the control of crop diseases, pests, and weeds. However, the aerial spraying quality and droplet drift are affected by [...] Read more.
With the development of precision agriculture (PA), low-altitude and low-volume spraying based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is playing an increasingly important role in the control of crop diseases, pests, and weeds. However, the aerial spraying quality and droplet drift are affected by many factors, some of which are controllable (e.g., flight and spraying parameters) and some of which are not (e.g., environmental parameters). In order to study the influence of spraying parameters on the UAV-based spraying performance, we propose a UAV-compatible spraying system and a customized experimental platform in this work. Through single-factor test and Box–Behnken response surface methods, four influencing factors, namely spraying height, flow rate, distance between nozzles, and pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle, were studied under indoor conditions. Variance analysis and multiple quadratic regression fitting were performed on the test data by using Design-Expert 8.0.5B software, and quadratic polynomial regression models of effective spraying width, droplet coverage density, coefficient of variation, and droplet coverage rate were established. Based on the Z-score standardization, a mathematical model of the comprehensive score with four factors was established to evaluate the spraying quality and predict optimal spraying parameters. Test results indicate that the effect intensity of four influencing factors from strong to weak is PWM duty cycle, flow rate, distance between nozzles, and spraying height, and their optimal values are 98.65%, 1.74 L/min, 1.0 m, and 1.60 m, respectively. Additionally, verification experimental results demonstrate that the deviation between the predicted comprehensive score and the actual value was less than 6%. This paper can provide a reference for the design and optimization of UAV spraying systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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22 pages, 1064 KiB  
Article
A Reference Standard Process Model for Agriculture to Facilitate Efficient Implementation and Adoption of Precision Agriculture
by Rok Rupnik, Damjan Vavpotič, Jurij Jaklič, Aleš Kuhar, Miroslav Plavšić and Boštjan Žvanut
Agriculture 2021, 11(12), 1257; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11121257 - 11 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3345
Abstract
Agriculture is a sector that today demands even greater efficiency; thus, it relies extensively on the use of precision agriculture technologies: IoT systems, mobile applications, and other digitalization technologies. Experience from a large-scale EU-funded project with a consortium made up of several software [...] Read more.
Agriculture is a sector that today demands even greater efficiency; thus, it relies extensively on the use of precision agriculture technologies: IoT systems, mobile applications, and other digitalization technologies. Experience from a large-scale EU-funded project with a consortium made up of several software companies shows that software companies have a different and unequal knowledge/understanding of agricultural processes and the use of precision agriculture in agricultural processes. This finding coupled with what is known about the standard process model for IT governance (COBIT) triggered the idea of a reference standard process model for agriculture (RSPMA), which we present in this paper. We applied the Delphi technique to assess the RSPMA and evaluate its potential implementation in the area of agriculture. A panel of 20 members from Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, and Serbia was established for the study. The majority of RSPMA elements were identified as appropriate for the use in agriculture by the panel. The study results show that RSPMA is suitable for use in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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16 pages, 3586 KiB  
Article
Definition of Optimal Maize Seeding Rates Based on the Potential Yield of Management Zones
by Adriano Adelcino Anselmi, José Paulo Molin, Helizani Couto Bazame and Lucas de Paula Corrêdo
Agriculture 2021, 11(10), 911; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11100911 - 24 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2927
Abstract
The decision on crop population density should be a function of biotic and abiotic field parameters and optimize the site-specific yield potential, which can be a real challenge for farmers. The objective of this study was to investigate the yield of maize hybrids [...] Read more.
The decision on crop population density should be a function of biotic and abiotic field parameters and optimize the site-specific yield potential, which can be a real challenge for farmers. The objective of this study was to investigate the yield of maize hybrids subjected to variable rate seeding (VRS) and in differentiated management zones (MZs). The experiment was conducted between 2013 and 2015 in a commercial field in the Central-West region of Brazil. First, MZ were delineated using the K-means algorithm with layers involving soil electrical conductivity, yield maps from previous years, and elevation. Seven maize hybrids at five seeding rates were evaluated in the context of each MZ and the cause-and-effect relationship with soil attributes was investigated. Optimal yields were obtained for crop population densities between 70,000 plants ha−1 and 80,000 plants ha−1. Hybrids which perform well under higher densities are key in achieving positive results using VRS. The plant population densities that resulted in maximum yields were obtained for densities at least 27% higher than the recommended seeding rates. The yield variance between MZs can be explained by the variance in soil attributes, while the yield variance within MZs can be explained by the variance in plant population densities. The study shows that on-farm experimentation can be key for obtaining information concerning yield potential. The management by VRS in different MZs is a low-cost technique that can reduce input application costs and optimize yield according to the site-specific potential of the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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Other

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18 pages, 4080 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review of the Emergence and Utilisation of Agricultural Technologies into the Classroom
by Jaime K. Manning, Amy Cosby, Deborah Power, Eloise S. Fogarty and Bobby Harreveld
Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 818; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060818 - 7 Jun 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4317
Abstract
This systematic review explores the emergence and utilisation of agricultural technology (“AgTech”) in secondary schools globally. A total of 14 studies published between 2000 and 2020, inclusive, were reviewed, each exploring the use of agricultural technologies in secondary school classrooms and barriers to [...] Read more.
This systematic review explores the emergence and utilisation of agricultural technology (“AgTech”) in secondary schools globally. A total of 14 studies published between 2000 and 2020, inclusive, were reviewed, each exploring the use of agricultural technologies in secondary school classrooms and barriers to adoption. For all reviewed studies, each had aimed to address one of three major objectives: (a) to determine or increase teacher knowledge of AgTech; (b) to evaluate the effectiveness of AgTech professional development (PD); or (c) to evaluate the effectiveness of AgTech classroom activities. Requirements for future AgTech PD or classroom activities were also identified, including the use of improved pre-service learnings and in-service PD. This study highlights the importance of improving the opportunities of teachers for AgTech learning, including both an introduction to the technologies and support for classroom implementation. Applications of these findings could be used by teachers, schools, industry organisations, universities and policymakers to ensure sufficient teacher knowledge and skills for effective student learning. By increasing the knowledge and skills of the next-generation agricultural workforce, it is anticipated that AgTech adoption on farms will increase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Adoption Strategies)
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