Development of Precision Agriculture Technologies to Improve Crop Productivity and Mitigate Environmental Risks: A Pathway to Sustainable Agriculture

精确管理农业投入（化肥、杀虫剂、灌溉等）是农业生产系统面临的最重大挑战之一。目前，马铃薯田内的作物管理做法是统一实施的，没有充分注意土壤、作物、潜在产量、气候和地形特征的重大变化。统一施用不仅增加了生产成本，而且对环境构成严重威胁（流入水体的养分增加、地表下/地下水沥滤、挥发和温室气体排放）。这种情况突出表明需要增加作物产量、利润和环境保护，但如果对田地进行统一管理，就无法实现这一点。 这项新颖的创新研究计划将开发，整合和实施精准农业技术和系统，以确定田间的空间和时间变化。通过这项研究开发的传感和控制系统将被纳入传统农业机械，以生产智能机器，以确保最佳管理实践（适当的播种率，可变的农用化学品应用，高效灌溉等）。在需要的基础上。这项研究的长期目标是通过基本和应用工程原理开发新颖，创新，综合和环保的系统，以提高产量和质量，同时确保经济和环境的可持续性。该研究计划还将研究与种植者统一管理相比，新开发的机器的生产力和环境影响之间的权衡。在接下来的五年里，我将培养3名理学硕士，2名博士，5名本科生和一名研究技术人员。我们将利用独特且最先进的研究设施开发创新系统，以优化加拿大气候下马铃薯生产的资源配置。从这项研究中产生的结果将在期刊，国家/国际会议记录，概况介绍，现场日和种植者会议上传播。 这项研究将为管理与土壤、作物和产量变异有关的投入提供一个新的知识基础。可持续的投入管理将扩大加拿大农村的销售机会，改善社会经济条件。UPEI开发的新技术，程序和协议将转移到加拿大其他省份，以实现可持续生产。这项研究的成果将集中在马铃薯上;然而，这些技术经过修改可以广泛适用于其他行栽作物和水果作物。针对具体地点的管理不仅对农业部门有利，而且对加拿大公众也有利，因为它对环境有利。

Precise management of agricultural inputs (fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation, etc.) is one of the most significant challenges that the agricultural production system is facing. Currently, crop management practices within potato fields are implemented uniformly with inadequate attention being given to substantial variations in soil, crop, potential yield, climate and topographic features. Uniform applications not only increase the cost of production but also pose a serious threat to the environment (increased nutrient runoff to water bodies, sub-surface/groundwater leaching, volatilization and greenhouse gas emissions). This situation emphasizes the need for increased crop production, profitability and environmental protection, but this cannot be achieved if the fields are managed uniformly. This novel and innovative research program will develop, integrate and implement precision agriculture technologies and systems to identify spatial and temporal variations within fields. Sensing and control systems developed through this research will be incorporated into traditional agricultural machinery to produce intelligent machines to ensure best management practices (proper seed rate, variable agrochemical applications, efficient irrigation, etc.) on an as-needed basis. The long-term goal of this research is to develop novel, innovative, integrated and environmentally sound systems, through fundamental and applied engineering principles to improve yield and quality, while simultaneously ensuring economic and environmental sustainability. This research program will also examine the tradeoffs between productivity and environmental impact of newly developed machines, when compared with growers' uniform management. Over the next five years I will train 3 M.Sc, 2 PhD, 5 undergraduate students and a research technician. Utilizing a unique and state-of-the-art research facility we will develop innovative systems to optimize resource allocation for potato production in Canadian climate. Results arising from this research will be disseminated in journals, national/international conference proceedings, factsheets, field days, and grower meetings. This research will provide a new knowledge base for management of inputs in relation to soil, crop and yield variability. Sustainable inputs management will expand the marketing opportunities and improve socio-economic conditions in rural Canada. The novel technologies, procedures and protocols developed at UPEI will be transferred to other provinces in Canada to achieve sustainable production. The deliverables of this research will focus on potatoes; however, these technologies with modifications can be broadly applicable to other row and fruit crops. Site-specific management is not only beneficial for the agriculture sector but also the general public of Canada because of its environmental benefits.