Variable Rate Application Technology for Florida Citrus Kieth Hollingsworth, CCA Chemical Containers Inc.

What is Variable Rate Technology ? Ability to apply different amount of inputs to specific points in the same field. Applies to fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, or soil amendments. Should be incorporated into the total GIS Program.

WHERE DO WE BEGIN ? 1) Gather geo-referenced information from our field 2) Analyze data to form management zones 3) Write prescription files and create map 4) Make Precision Application 5) Create record of application

Gather DGPS referenced information PEST OR DISEASE PRESSURE SOIL TYPE BOUNDRY MAP SOIL pH PEST OR DISEASE PRESSURE Prescription Map PAST HARVEST DATA NUTRIENT LEVELS

VARIABLE RATE APPLICATION EQUIPMENT THUS THE NEED FOR VARIABLE RATE APPLICATION EQUIPMENT

VARIABLE RATE APPLICATOR Must know its unique address Must be able to adjust application rate: on the fly according to prescription file Should create an “as applied map” an “as applied map” is a report of actual application

MID-TECH RX 100p Trimble Ag GPS 124 DGPS Receivers “Differentially Corrected GPS is necessary for VRA Correction sources are Beacon, Satellite, or WAAS Receivers should run at 5 Hz or faster

Processor for Variable Rate Software Laptops with a data link Accepts flash card with field prescription map Contains variable rate application software Field Computers Laptops with a data link

VARIABLE RATE SOFTWARE Communicates with Rate Controller and GPS Identifies location on prescription map Analyzes rate based on location Sends rate to controller Updates 5 times per second or faster

Prescription Map Identifies rate for applicators exact location Sends rate to controller

Mid-Tech TASC 6100 Operator Inputs Granular - boom or swath width -pounds per pulse (calibration number) -fertilizer density Liquid - input nozzle GPM - active boom width

Legacy 6000 Controller with Trimble 106

As Applied Map * Receives Data from Rate Controller * Displays “applied” areas * Creates “application report”

VARIABLE RATE LIQUID APPLICATOR vary rate of carrier vary rate of each injection pump

Carrier : may vary or stay constant Chemicals : pumps vary rate

Real-Time VRA Application of products based on applicator seeing target Eye systems that see trees Weed Seekers that Sense Chlorophyll

Electronic “Eye Systems” Eyes “see tree canopy” and perform a function May be programmed to turn off where skips occur Increase or decrease application rate based on tree height

Dry Fertilizer Spreader with Three-Eye Setup Changes Rate Based on Tree Height

Temik Application Precision Agriculture Approach

In Florida, state regulations require that TEMIK not be applied within 300 feet of any drinking water well. In addition, TEMIK cannot be used on Florida citrus within 1000 feet of a drinking water well regardless of depth of water table, when such soils have a permeability rate greater than 20 inches per hour. These highly permeable soils are: Adamsville, Candler, Neilhurst, Palm Beach, Tavares, Archbold, Cassia, Orsino, Satellite, Astatula, Lake, Paola, and St. Lucie Unless wells are cased to 100 feet or 30’ below the water table. A Precision Application Approach, aids the applicator in several ways Identifies wells and their GPS location Identifies the setback for each well location enables applicator to view his location in reference to a well location may be configured to automatically stop Temik application within setback zone and resume application when applicator is clear of zone maintains true, real-time, “as applied”, data from the Temik application

Well Locations The first step is well identification Wells are located and plotted with a DGPS receiver and field mapping software All the known well attributes are added to the well location at this time This may include: casing depth, soil type at well location, setback radius, etc.. This is a permanent record and only needs to be done once unless the well configuration changes

Southwest Florida Water Management District www.swfwmd.state.fl.us 28,288 well locations in their GIS database each well location has over 50 attributes

Image of grove showing well locations

Well locations with 300’ setback

Well setbacks Well locations are added to the Prescription map Set back zones are set up for each well

Edited prescription map The well setbacks are clipped out Those areas are then assigned a zero application rate

As Applied Map Red represents applicator travel with no product being applied Blue represents applicator travel with product being applied at 20 lb.. per acre

Close up of as applied map Red represents applicator travel with no product being applied Blue represents applicator travel with product being applied at 20 lbs. per acre

Full Scale Rate Control Package Reads VRT Prescription map and controls application rate monitors output of applicator and records “as applied” data DGPS Sub-meter accuracy receiver and antenna Mid-Tech Legacy 6000 VRT computer and rate controller

Data Logging Package with Display Operator can view grove boundary, well locations with setbacks, as well as his location on the screen logs “snail trail” of application only 1-2 meter accuracy WAAS antenna / receiver iPaq package with data logging software

Simple Data Logging System Logs “snail trail” of application only No display of applicator location, wells, or setback zones 3-5 meter accuracy antenna / receiver Data logger with hard drive data storage of tri-mode dispatch (digital, analog, or radio modem)

This presentation has been provided courtesy of : Kieth Hollingsworth Chemical Containers Inc. P.O. Box 1307 Lake Wales FL 22859 863-528-4344 khollingsworth@chemicalcontainers.com