Articles
A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR FIELD VEGETABLE CROPS: FOCUS ON FERTILIZATION
Article number
571_17
Pages
149 – 152
Language
English
Abstract
In order to respect the principles of sustainable crop production, agriculture as an economic sector should pursue its aim of profitability with minimal impact on the environment.
This implies rational use of fertilizers, crop protection products, irrigation water and other inputs.
Knowledge about all aspects of farming and about fertilization in particular can be provided by computer programs (Expert Systems) that are developed for this purpose (Jones, 1989). Many Crop Models and Decision Support Systems are used for the calculation of fertilizer application rates (Thompson et al., 1997; Vandendriessche and van Ittersum, 1995). It is however essential that these systems are suitable to be used in parcel specific situations to the benefit of farmers.
TASgroenten is a decision support system, developed in the margin of a joint European-Flemish rural development program in the Westhoek-Middenkust region of Flanders, that deals with all aspects of field vegetable growing, and is therefore subdivided into different modules: Farm and Parcel Registration, Fertilization Management, Crop Protection, Cropping Systems and Irrigation.
Within the Fertilization Management Module, the user is offered an operating procedure to set up, out of the amount of fertilizer needed, a fertilizer application scheme that takes into account the limitations imposed by both agricultural and ecological considerations.
It supports, through the need for soil sample analysis results on the one hand and a resulting fertilizer recommendation for the main nutritive elements on the other hand, the notion of reasoned fertilization.
A stepwise selection of fertilizers both organic and chemical leads to the presentation of a nutrient balance on parcel level.
By trying out several simulations, the program should be considered as a practical tool for planning and optimizing the fertilization.
This improved knowledge about fertilization management will support the vegetable growers notion of reasoned fertilization and hereby contribute to a more sustainable production.
This implies rational use of fertilizers, crop protection products, irrigation water and other inputs.
Knowledge about all aspects of farming and about fertilization in particular can be provided by computer programs (Expert Systems) that are developed for this purpose (Jones, 1989). Many Crop Models and Decision Support Systems are used for the calculation of fertilizer application rates (Thompson et al., 1997; Vandendriessche and van Ittersum, 1995). It is however essential that these systems are suitable to be used in parcel specific situations to the benefit of farmers.
TASgroenten is a decision support system, developed in the margin of a joint European-Flemish rural development program in the Westhoek-Middenkust region of Flanders, that deals with all aspects of field vegetable growing, and is therefore subdivided into different modules: Farm and Parcel Registration, Fertilization Management, Crop Protection, Cropping Systems and Irrigation.
Within the Fertilization Management Module, the user is offered an operating procedure to set up, out of the amount of fertilizer needed, a fertilizer application scheme that takes into account the limitations imposed by both agricultural and ecological considerations.
It supports, through the need for soil sample analysis results on the one hand and a resulting fertilizer recommendation for the main nutritive elements on the other hand, the notion of reasoned fertilization.
A stepwise selection of fertilizers both organic and chemical leads to the presentation of a nutrient balance on parcel level.
By trying out several simulations, the program should be considered as a practical tool for planning and optimizing the fertilization.
This improved knowledge about fertilization management will support the vegetable growers notion of reasoned fertilization and hereby contribute to a more sustainable production.
Authors
W. Vanden Auweele, H. Vandendriessche
Keywords
Decision Support System (DSS), fertilization, soil sampling, organic manure, nutrient balance, fertilizer recommendation
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