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PRECISION AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE FOR TEXAS HIGH PLAINS
2001 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE REPORT
Texas Agricultural Extension Station and Texas Cooperative Extension
| Principal Investigator: Jett Major ( and All South Plains Extension District 2 Cooperators: Extension Agents-Integrated Pest Management (IPM), County Extension Agents-Agriculture (AG) and Natural Resources (NR), Extension Specialists, Cooperating Research Scientists, South Plains AgriPartners Demonstration Technicians and Cooperating South Plains Producers. Texas A&M Research and Extension Center - Lubbock, Route 3, Box 213AA, Lubbock, TX 79403, (806) 746-6101. Primary Research Location: South Plains Extension District Consisting of 20 Counties Located Around the Region’s Hub City – Lubbock, TX. Project Title: Precision Agriculture Technology Transfer Through the South Plains AgriPartners Program Project Objectives: Facilitate and Enhance Technology Transfer of Research-Based Precision Agriculture Practices and Technologies. |
Reporting period: January 1, 2001 - December 31, 2001
A. Summary of progress: Extension specialists and research scientists were teamed together on all projects funded by the Precision Agriculture Initiative to provide a built-in technology transfer component designed to accelerate the bridge from basic to applied research. South Plains Extension agents and specialists, utilizing 5 part-time and 4 full-time AgriPartner Demonstration Technicians, worked with research scientists and cooperating producers in the implementation and evaluation of the following on-farm applied research projects to demonstrate research-based Precision Agriculture practices and technologies on a larger “farm size” scale to producers:
· On-farm comparison of grid soil sampling and Variable Rate Technology (VRT) based applications with conventional blanket rate fertilizer applications in corn.
· On-farm comparison of conventional broadcast fertilizer, herbicide and nematicide applications in cotton with utilization of VRT applications based on grid soil sampling and remote sensing.
· On-farm peanut soil moisture monitoring project to superimpose a soil moisture map over a disease/nematode map to evaluate interactions on confounding of soil moisture with disease pressures.
· On-farm evaluation of perennial weed mapping in cotton with differentially-corrected global positioning systems (DGPS).
· On-farm evaluations of COTMAN (SQUAREMAN AND BOLLMAN) cotton plant management system to determine optimum timing of crop termination and defoliation treatments.
· On-farm comparison of conventional IPM scouting with remote sensing directed IPM scouting in cotton.
· On-farm evaluation of EXNUT expert system for managing peanut irrigation on the Texas High Plains.
· On-farm assessment of soil Rhizobium nodulation in relation to chemical properties for peanuts.
· On-farm evaluation of grape vineyard irrigation scheduling based on potential evapo-transpiration (PET) to reduce total water requirement, reduce excessive vigor, accelerate hardening off and enhance cold hardiness.
B. Education/technology transfer: Extension agents in all 20 counties conducted county, multi-county and regional field days and farm tours demonstrating research-based technologies and practices to producers and other participating segments of the agriculture industry.
Twenty-one AG agents and one NR agent published a total of 22 different newsletters which were sent out on a quarterly basis throughout the year. Most newsletters were also posted on county web sites for internet access. Ten IPM agents covering 18 of the 20 counties in the district published 10 different weekly newsletters during the growing season which were also posted to county web sites, the Lubbock Center web site and the Texas Pest Management Association (TPMA) web site. Newsletters transfer research-based information to all segments of the agriculture industry on the South Plains, including commodity organizations, and are also sent to news media outlets in each county.
Twenty counties published a Result Demonstration and Applied Research Handbook which includes results of all on-farm evaluations and demonstrations. Ten IPM annual reports providing results of insect, disease and weed control applied research work were also published in 2001. Demonstration handbooks and IPM annual reports were distributed to producers, agribusinesses, commodity organizations, ag lenders, legislators and other key leaders across the South Plains.
Extension agents and specialists utilized 24 web sites to accomplish electronic transfer of technology for internet users. Power Point presentations and CD’s outlining information and featuring scanned photos, digital photos and digital video streaming were also utilized to electronically disseminate information to clientele. Extension specialists and IPM agents on the South Plains also utilized a system of Power Point and Corel Presentations electronic sharing among themselves so quality programs could be localized and utilized by other agents and specialists to maximize the efficient use of faculty time for winter conference and summer turnrow meeting presentations.
The Extension computer specialists and the Extension entomologists conducted 4 different hands-on training sessions for agents and support staff to keep both veteran and newly-employed faculty and staff up to speed on developing/presenting Power Point and Corel presentations; using the new Proxima projectors, scanning in 35 mm photos, using a digital camera and utilizing the vast opportunities provided by the use of the digital video camera.
Extension entomologists and agronomists, along with other contributing specialists and agents, made very impressive use of all afore-mentioned electronic educational options in the 2001 “Focus on Entomology” newsletter issues which were offered only in electronic format on the web to producers and other internet users during the growing season.
Field days showcasing research work were held at the Lamesa Cotton Growers AG-CARES Research Farm and the Western Peanut Growers Research Farm. The Texas Corn Producers Board also sponsored a research update and tour for key agricultural leaders, legislators and legislative aids. Texas A&M Ag Program scientists and specialists assisted with this event.
C. Milestones achieved: Implemented on-farm evaluations and demonstrations of Precision Agriculture technologies and practices in cotton, corn, peanuts and grapes on the South Plains. Implemented on-farm comparisons of conventional versus remote sensing directed IPM scouting, irrigation, weed control, and fertility management. Implemented on-farm evaluation of precision plant management systems in cotton and peanuts. Initiated in-depth agent training and large-scale utilization of electronic technology transfer options and equipment to further expand dissemination of information to clientele. Utilized field days, farm tours, conferences, educational meetings, newsletters, news media, CD’s, and the internet to transfer technology to clientele.
D. Publications: “Results of 2001 Agricultural Result Demonstrations and Applied Research” – 20 different handbooks published by AG and NR agents in Bailey, Borden, Castro, Cochran, Crosby, Dawson, Floyd, Gaines, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Mitchell, Parmer, Scurry, Swisher, Terry and Yoakum Counties. Contributing authors included IPM agents, Extension specialists, research scientists and cooperating producers.
“Integrated Pest Management Annual Report - 2001" – 10 different publications prepared by IPM agents in the following IPM program units: Hale-Swisher, Castro-Lamb, Crosby-Floyd, Dawson-Lynn, Parmer-Bailey, Hockley-Cochran, Terry-Yoakum, Gaines, Lubbock and Low Rolling Plains (Scurry and Mitchell Counties). Contributing authors included Extension specialists, AG and NR agents, research scientists and cooperating producers.
“Agricultural Complex for Advanced Research and Extension Systems (AG-CARES) – Dawson County 2001 Annual Report” – by Dawson CEA-AG John Farris and all contributing TCE and TAES specialists, scientists, support staff and administrators.
E. Precision agriculture proposals: None that were awarded solely to South Plains AgriPartners.
F. Precision agriculture meetings attended/papers (posters) presented: None by principal investigator. Presentations by IPM agents Brant Baugh and Tommy Doederlein at Beltwide Cotton Production Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on COTMAN work. Presentation by IPM agent Kerry Siders at High Plains Association of Crop Consultants meeting in Lubbock on remote sensing directed IPM work. Presentation by Dawson County AG agent John Farris at the American Peanut Research and Education Society (APRES) meeting in Oklahoma City on the development of the peanut industry and associated result demonstrations and applied research work on the South Plains of Texas. All others are listed in individual reports of the following cooperating specialists and scientists: Leser, Boman, Trostle, P. Porter, Kaufman (TCE); D. Porter (TCE/TAES); Hellman, Dotray (TCE/TAES/TTU); Wheeler, Bronson, Keeling and Schubert (TAES).
G. Other developments: AG and IPM agent turnover was above average in 2001, limiting the amount of technology transfer in some counties until vacant positions could be filled. Producers continue to cooperate with on-farm evaluations, but producer interest in Precision Agriculture concepts and any other production input, practice or technology was low due to deteriorating attitudes of producers over depressed prices for all commodities grown on the South Plains. Precision Agriculture is a concept that requires producers to spend money in order to ultimately save money on production inputs. Most producers do not have ag lenders willing to spend that “up front” money with no guarantees of making the money back through a reduction in inputs and/or an increase in yield potential – especially with the current across-the-board low commodity prices.