The public-private effort aims to enhance sustainable crop production through field and crop modeling that targets the specific soil, climatic, watershed and production conditions within producers’ fields with real-time information.


The three-year exclusive agreement among the groups will bring together the respective strengths of each party in precision agriculture sensors and soil mapping, including the characterization of soil types, topography and watersheds.

Through a unique computerized process offered by the company that uses the latest high-resolution technology, the collaboration will result in more accurate soil mapping units than ever seen before. Higher-resolution soil information will enable improved placement and management of crop inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer.

The enhanced soil maps build on public soil survey data and will support Decision Agriculture Services provided by the company to help crop producers make timely decisions to more sustainably improve yields and per-acre income. Soil analysis procedures will better identify unique land areas called Environmental Response Units (ERUs). These ERUs can then be used to develop a variety of management zones. A trusted advisor will assist growers in tailoring input and management plans to fit their goals of the best possible per-acre yield.

This UM and USDA-ARS collaboration will provide vastly improved soil mapping resolution.
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While nitrogen is one of the most important crop inputs, it is also among the most complex and uncertain aspects of modern agricultural production. In addition to being susceptible to environmental losses, its effectiveness is impacted by soil type and day-by-day weather conditions.

By using high-resolution elevation data and landscape watershed information, producers can better determine water and nitrogen movement on the section and county levels. Together with soil and productivity information, growers can more accurately plan, place and manage nitrogen applications on a real-time basis. FG

—From DuPont Pioneer news release