Using modulated on-farm response surface experiments (MORSE) to develop evidence based, agronomic recommendations for precision
Term: 3 years, beginning in 2020
Status: Ongoing
Funding Amount: $88,550
Lead Researcher(s): Dr. Steve Shirtliffe (University of Saskatchewan)
Funding Partners: Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission and Western Grains Research Foundation
Project Description
The overall objective of this project is to develop a novel way of conducting on-farm agronomic experiments that can be done automatically, and this method is termed as Modulated On-farm Response Surface Experiments (MORSE) by the researcher. This project focuses on a technology development that fuses developments in precision-controlled farm equipment with state-of-the-art advances in crop imaging and image analysis.
Digital imagery is being used to quantify crop emergence, ground cover and to predict final yield, and this research builds on other research being conducted at the University of Saskatchewan and the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS). The studies will be conducted in wheat and canola to investigate varying rates of nitrogen application and fungicide application. The objectives include: developing and demonstrating a method for seeding and managing MORSE experiments; determining the relationship between crop imagery and yield using vegetative indices; developing statistical methodology for analyzing MORSE experiments; and comparing the statistical precision and accuracy of using MORSE experiments with conventional small plot experiments.
This technology will liberate the domain of agronomic experimentation to allow it to be conducted on-farm with greater accuracy than small plot experiments. The development of MORSE technology will increase producer adoption of VRT and precision agriculture. The end product will be precise, evidence-based agronomic recommendations that maximize return for farmers.