Precision Farming.

CSC have a long standing partnership with S.O.Y.L and together our aims are to provide crop management services that improve the sustainability of modern agriculture through economic and environmental benefits. We offer the following main services:

• GPS Soil Sampling
• Nutrient and pH Mapping
• Variable Rate Fertiliser Recommendations
• Yield Map Interpretation

Also Boundary mapping for IACS purposes (using GPS), soil audits, soil surveys, whole farm mapping and nitrogen testing.

We can also offer an analytical service including:
Soil and Plant Tissue, Slurry and FYM, Fertiliser and Lime for nutrient content, Grain and Oilseed analysis, Silage, PCN, Irrigation and suitability for Conservation.

What is Nutrient Mapping?
Nutrient mapping is a common first approach taken by many farmers into Precision Farming. Mapping nutrients will identify variations in soil nutrients across a field. This is important because traditionally, agricultural fields have been treated as one unit and the same inputs have been applied over the entire field area. However, Phosphate, potash and magnesium levels can vary significantly within a field because certain areas of the field will be habitually high yielding and hence remove large amounts of nutrients. Conversely, low yielding areas will be over fertilised and hence nutrient levels will increase. The aim of Precision Farming is to balance these inputs to gain maximum output whilst minimising pollution.

This is done by using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. An ATV equipped with dGPS (differential Global Positioning System) is used to visit locations in a field where soil samples are taken and a dGPS co-ordinate recorded. The results are mapped to create an easy-to-interpret map showing the variation in nutrient levels across the field. Having produced detailed nutrient maps we then help you interpret this new information. Based on the maps, inputs can then be varied according to specific knowledge and agronomist recommendations. Also the sample points can then be accurately revisited in five years to assess changes in response to variable applications.

Our standard service includes phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and pH mapping, based on a 100m grid (one sample per hectare).
Using precision farming techniques we can also provide mapping for;

• Potato Cyst Nematode
• Soil Texture
• Field Measurement
• pH
• Field Investigation
• Weeds/Problem Areas

Typical Benefits of our Precision services:

• Nutrient mapping provides you with a valuable management tool to improve yields, reduce your fertiliser inputs and increase farm profits.
• Improved understanding of the field and its resources.
• Identification of areas where nutrient and pH can effect crop yield and quality
• Identification of areas where less fertiliser is needed, reducing fertiliser costs
• Balancing fertiliser application to crop removal in all areas of the field reduces build up of nutrients at risk to leaching or washout
• The maintenance of nutrient levels removes the risk of soil degradation and loss by holding the soil together
• Good soil fertility will produce healthy plants promoting soil structure

To find out more about how CSC and SOYL can help your farm profits contact your local Agronomist in the Depots section of the site.