Improving wild blueberry crop productivity using precision agriculture technologies

利用精准农业技术提高野生蓝莓作物生产力

• 批准号: 506338-2016
• 负责人: Farooque, Aitazaz
• 金额: $ 5.83万
• 依托单位: University of Prince Edward Island
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=692166
• 关键词: Improving; wild; blueberry; crop; productivity

The overall objective of the proposed initiative is to replace the current uniform management practices with innovative precision agriculture (PA) technologies for spot-application of agrochemicals in wild blueberry cropping systems. Currently, the wild blueberry producers spend as much as $868 CAD per ha per year on agrochemical applications. This equates to $80 million CAD per year with 93,000 ha in production in North America. The implementation of reliable and affordable PA technologies for spot-applications developed by the PA team at Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, Dalhousie University (DAL-AC) through this research project will reduce agrochemical usage, improve berry yield and reduce environmental risks. The proposed research also contains the training of graduate students and research associates, and the continuing "life long" applied education of producers and industry representatives. To achieve this, innovative viable PA technologies required include; (i) development of a working prototype compact smart sprayer for spot-application of herbicide and fungicide; (ii) identification of the retro-fitting potential and compatibility of the developed sensing and control system on the commercially available sprayers (John Deere, Agco, Hardy and MS sprayers); (iii) evaluations of the different light sources for spot-application of agrochemical during early morning and late evening; (iv) development of working prototype of VR spreader for spot-application of fertilizer; and (v) quantify the potential of spot-applications to improve crop productivity and environmental efficiency as compare to uniform application of agrochemicals. This project aims to develop a viable working prototype smart sprayer and fertilizer spreader for the implementation of spot-specific applications to increase farm profitability. This proposal is part of a multidisciplinary research effort at the Dal-AC in collaboration with Slack Farms, Debert, NS. Implementation of PA technologies will increase crop productivity and profit margins of Slack Farms as well as the wild blueberry industry as a whole. The smart sprayer and fertilizer spreader will be commercialized with the help of industry to accomplish spot-applications at famer's scale.

拟议倡议的总体目标是用创新的精准农业（PA）技术取代目前的统一管理实践，以便在野生蓝莓种植系统中现场应用农用化学品。目前，野生蓝莓生产商每年在农用化学品上的花费高达每公顷868加元。这相当于每年8000万加元，在北美生产9.3万公顷。达尔豪斯大学（Dalhousie University）达尔豪斯农业校区（DAL-AC）的PA团队通过该研究项目，为现场应用开发了可靠且价格合理的PA技术，将减少农用化学品的使用，提高浆果产量并降低环境风险。拟议的研究还包括对研究生和研究助理的培训，以及对生产者和工业代表的持续“终身”应用教育。要实现这一目标，创新可行的PA技术需要包括；(i)开发用于现场施用除草剂和杀菌剂的紧凑型智能喷雾器的工作原型；（ii）确定已开发的传感和控制系统在市售喷雾器（约翰迪尔、爱科、哈迪和MS喷雾器）上的改装潜力和兼容性；（iii）评估不同光源在清晨和傍晚进行农化现场施药；（四）现场施肥VR播种机工作样机研制；(v)量化与统一施用农用化学品相比，现场施用在提高作物生产力和环境效率方面的潜力。该项目旨在开发一种可行的工作原型智能喷雾器和化肥播撒机，用于实施特定地点的应用，以提高农场的盈利能力。该提案是Dal-AC与德克萨斯州德伯特的Slack农场合作开展的多学科研究工作的一部分。PA技术的实施将提高作物生产力和Slack农场的利润率，以及整个野生蓝莓产业。智能喷雾器和撒肥机将在工业的帮助下实现商业化，实现农户规模的现场应用。