Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.5
4.0
Journals
Plants
Special Issues
Precision Agriculture Technology, Benefits & Application
share announcement

Precision Agriculture Technology, Benefits & Application

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 2388

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fábio Henrique Rojo Baio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Chapadão do Sul 79560-000, MT, Brazil
Interests: agriculture; agriculture engineering; energy in agriculture; sustainable agriculture; precision agriculture
Dr. Paulo Eduardo Teodoro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Chapadão do Sul 79560-000, MT, Brazil
Interests: statistics; multivariate analysis; plant breeding; biometrics; remote sensing; sensors; genomic selection; geostatistics; precision agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Larissa Pereira Ribeiro Teodoro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Chapadão do Sul 7956-000, Brazil
Interests: UAV; random forest; nitrogen; maize
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants will be publishing a Special Issue on Precision Agriculture Technology.

Precision agriculture, also known as "site-specific farming", is an agricultural approach that uses digital technology to optimize agricultural management. Relying on the collection and analysis of detailed data to make informed decisions and improve the efficiency of agricultural practices, precision agriculture aims to maximize crop yields, reduce costs, reduce waste of natural resources, and minimize environmental impacts. Some of the key elements of precision agriculture include: data collection; data analysis; site-specific decision-making; efficient resource use; real-time monitoring; and advanced technologies. Precision agriculture aims to make agriculture more efficient, sustainable, and profitable through the application of advanced technologies and data analysis to enable informed decision making. This is especially important in a world where agricultural production needs to meet growing demands for food, while also being mindful of conserving natural resources and reducing environmental impacts.

Precision agriculture, when applied to crop production, is a systematic approach that harnesses cutting-edge technology and data-driven strategies to maximize the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of growing crops.  Here are some specific aspects of crop-specific precision agriculture techniques:

  1. Variable Rate Application: This technique involves adjusting the application of fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs based on the specific needs of different areas within a field. By precisely tailoring inputs to the requirements of each crop, farmers can optimize resource utilization, reduce input costs, and boost crop yields.
  2. Soil Mapping and Analysis: Soil sensors and sampling methods are employed to assess soil health and nutrient levels across the field. By having a detailed understanding of the soil, farmers can apply the right type and amount of nutrients, ensuring that crops receive optimal nutrition for growth and development.
  3. Crop Health Monitoring: Drones, satellites, and ground-based sensors are used to monitor the health and development of crops. These technologies provide insights into factors such as water stress, pest infestations, and disease outbreaks, enabling early intervention and targeted treatments.
  4. Weed and Pest Control: Precision technology aids in the precise application of herbicides and pesticides. Farmers can use data to identify areas with weed or pest pressure, reducing the overall use of chemicals and minimizing the impact on the environment.
  5. Harvest Optimization: Automated harvesters equipped with advanced sensors and GPS technology ensure efficient and timely crop collection. This minimizes crop losses and improves the quality of harvested produce.

Dr. Fábio Henrique Rojo Baio
Prof. Dr. Paulo Eduardo Teodoro
Dr. Larissa Pereira Ribeiro Teodoro
Guest Editors

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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • spatial variability of crop factors
  • natural resources variability
  • agricultural engineering technology
  • crop profitability

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

25 pages, 15822 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Variability Management for All Farmers: A Cell-Size Approach to Enhance Coffee Yields and Optimize Inputs
by Eudocio Rafael Otavio da Silva, Thiago Lima da Silva, Marcelo Chan Fu Wei, Ricardo Augusto de Souza and José Paulo Molin
Plants 2025, 14(2), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14020169 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 894
Abstract
Coffee yield exhibits plant-level variability; however, due to operational issues, especially in smaller operations, the scouting and management of coffee yields are often hindered. Thus, a cell-size approach at the field level is proposed as a simple and efficient solution to overcome these [...] Read more.
Coffee yield exhibits plant-level variability; however, due to operational issues, especially in smaller operations, the scouting and management of coffee yields are often hindered. Thus, a cell-size approach at the field level is proposed as a simple and efficient solution to overcome these constraints. This study aimed to present the feasibility of a cell-size approach to characterize spatio-temporal coffee production based on soil and plant attributes and yield (biennial effects) and to assess strategies for enhanced soil fertilization recommendations and economic results. The spatio-temporal study was conducted using a database composed of yield and soil and plant attributes from four harvest seasons of coffee plantation in the southeast region of Brazil. We used small plots as cells, where soil, leaf, and yield samples were taken, and the average value of each variable was assigned to each cell. The results indicated that macro- and micronutrient contents in the soil and leaves exhibited spatio-temporal heterogeneity between cells, suggesting that customized coffee tree management practices could be employed. The cell-size sampling strategy identified regions of varying yield over time and associated them with their biennial effect, enabling the identification of profitable areas to direct resource and input management in subsequent seasons. This approach optimized the recommendation of potassium and phosphate fertilizers on farms, demonstrating that localized management is feasible even with low spatial resolution. The cell-size approach proved to be adequate on two coffee farms and can be applied in scenarios with limited resources for high-density sampling, especially for small- and medium-sized farms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Technology, Benefits & Application)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 3019 KiB  
Article
A New Proposal for Soybean Plant Stand: Variation Based on the Law of the Minimum
by Fábio Henrique Rojo Baio, Ricardo Gava, Larissa Pereira Ribeiro Teodoro, Rita de Cássia Félix Alvarez, Marcos Eduardo Miranda Alves, Dthenifer Cordeiro Santana, Cid Naudi Silva Campos, Ana Carina da Silva Cândido and Paulo Eduardo Teodoro
Plants 2024, 13(22), 3193; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13223193 - 14 Nov 2024
Viewed by 898
Abstract
The hypothesis of this study is that it is possible to determine the plant stand in the soybean (Glycine max L. Merril) crop based on the spatial variability of management units, which are limiting factors in maximizing crop yield. Our objectives were [...] Read more.
The hypothesis of this study is that it is possible to determine the plant stand in the soybean (Glycine max L. Merril) crop based on the spatial variability of management units, which are limiting factors in maximizing crop yield. Our objectives were as follows: (I) to evaluate the relationship between soil physical and chemical attributes to establish potential management units for variable-rate seeding; (II) to propose a method for varying plant stands based on the law of minimum soil nutrients; an (III) to relate the interaction between different plant stands on soybean grain yield, taking into account the interaction between the spatial variability of the mapped attributes. Field experiments were carried out on two plots over two agricultural years. The areas were seeded by randomly varying the soybean stand across strips in the first year. The most limiting soil nutrient was established and used, together with the soil CEC, to determine management units (MUs), which were also used to seed soybeans in VRT (Variable Rate Technology) in the same plots in the second year. MUs with the lowest restriction for maximizing yield were sown in the second year with the lowest plant stand. Data were processed using multivariate statistics. Our findings reveal that it is possible to establish MUs for seeding soybeans with different stands following the spatial variability of limiting soil nutrients according to the law of the minimum and thus increase the crop grain yield. Spatial variability of potassium (K) in the plot, identified as limiting, affected the spatial variability of grain yield. Decreasing plant stands in MUs with the lowest limitation level increases yield. However, increasing the stand in MUs with a higher limitation level can lead to increased intraspecific competition, affecting yield as well as increasing input costs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Technology, Benefits & Application)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop