Project Number: 6406-21610-008-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 15, 2008
End Date: Dec 31, 2008

Objective:
This research project aims to provide improved management tools and information technologies to aid commercial cotton production in the Mid South through the application of precision agricultural practices. The research seeks to reduce costs of cotton production through the acquisition, storage, processing, and application of geo-referenced information.

Approach:
Develop necessary statistical methods as well as methods to complete analyses of archived site-specific data sets of various kinds. Applications of geo-referenced information to develop improved management practices for the economic and ecologically sound control of thrips and stink bug cotton insect pests will be addressed. Develop Local Area Networking software and decision aids for digital data collection by upgrading existing hardware and software on existing cooperator farms which involves the inter-connectivity among the various junction points along the pathway of information flow. The team will address the development of a novel precision agriculture data base structure to handle all forms of precision agriculture such as precision agriculture application controllers, Veris soil sampling equipment, chemical spray equipment, cotton yield monitors, field sampling software, precision steering systems, and insect scouting input software.