Principal Investigators: Bob Robinson, TCE District 1 Director and Ordie R. Jones, Panhandle AgriPartners Coordinator, 6500 Amarillo Blvd West, Amarillo, TX 79106

Cooperators:    TCE Specialists, TAES Scientists and Engineers, County Extension Agents B Agriculture, North Plains and Panhandle Groundwater Conservation Districts, and more than 50 Agricultural Producers in the Texas Panhandle

Primary Research Location:  21 Panhandle Counties in TCE District 1

Project Title:  Panhandle AgriPartner Demonstrations, Surveys and Observations in support of the Precision Agriculture Initiative

Objectives: 

(1)   Transfer proven site-specific farming practice technology through demonstrations established on cooperator farms.

(2)      Assist Scientists and Specialists in gathering information to test and evaluate site-specific farming practices for wheat, sorghum, corn, soybean, and sunflower on different soils throughout the Panhandle.

(3)      Conduct irrigation and cropping demonstrations on cooperators farms to gather information for developing and calibrating crop, water use, and economic models used in North Plains Evapotranspiration network NPET and other Precision Agriculture modeling and prediction efforts.

(4)      Establish and conduct studies, surveys, and sampling for prevalent and potential pest problems (insects, diseases, weeds), to include necessary information for developing and calibrating pest models.

(5)      Continue to provide NOW current and up-to-date information on water use, crop development and growth, and pest status to farmers and consultants, so that developing problems can be addressed now, not next year.

   A.     Summary of Progress:

The following AgriPartner programs, demonstrations, and surveys were carried out in 2001 at the County and farm level by County Extension Agents - Ag and seven part-time AgriPartner Farm Demonstration Assistants located in 5 County Clusters, which encompassed all 21 TCE District 1 Counties.  The AgriPartner Program is directed by Bob Robinson and coordinated by Ordie R. Jones.   District 1 Extension Specialists and Texas A&M Scientists and Engineers provide technical support and guidance.  The cooperation of dozens of panhandle producers is the key to the successful Panhandle AgriPartners Precision Agriculture technology transfer demonstration program.

1.      In 2001, Panhandle AgriPartners established and conducted 55 center pivot and LEPA, and 10 furrow irrigation demonstrations with wheat, sorghum, corn, soybean, cotton, peanut and sunflower in all areas of the Panhandle. Irrigation systems were pivot and furrow. Dryland cropping demonstrations were also conducted for wheat, cotton, sorghum and sunflower.  Demonstrations were established with progressive farmers that utilize improved irrigation, conservation, and farming practices, including many aspects of precision agriculture.

2.      In addition to technology transfer, data from these demonstrations are used to refine and calibrate crop growth and development models used in the North Plains Evapotranspiration (NPET) network  - whose information is widely used by farmers and crop consultants for irrigation scheduling and crop planning. 

3.      The irrigation and cropping information and data gathered by AgriPartners in 1998-2000 was invaluable in preparation of Senate Bill 1 documentation on irrigation water use and planning in the Panhandle for specific crops and regions, showing that actual pumpage was 30% less than models predicted. Water meters have been installed on many of the demonstrations so that the exact amount of water applied to each crop in a field can be determined. Data obtained in 2001 is being used for updating the Regional Water Plan for the Texas Panhandle.

4.      AgriPartners also conducted more than 115 different surveys, counts, and observations for insect and diseases for major crops and pests in all areas of the Panhandle in 2001.  The information gathered provided current information on pest status, and provides a database for development and calibration of disease and insect models used for predicting buildups and outbreaks.  Special 2001 AgriPartner Projects included a Panhandle wide wheat virus survey that showed much less effect of viruses in 2001 than was observed in 2001.  This was good news for Panhandle producers.  Other projects included assisting in establishing and evaluating bindweed mite nurseries in each Panhandle  County, and collecting sorghum stalk samples for a sorghum stalk rot study and evaluation in cooperation with TAES Scientists.

5.      A tremendous database of information for many agricultural practices, including precision agriculture, is being assembled from farms all over the Panhandle.   This provides information for comparison and economic analysis of Precision Agricultural practices with standard production practices for many crops and soils and provides the basis for development of more efficient and profitable agricultural production in the Texas Panhandle.

B.  Education/technology transfer:

Education and Technology transfer was accomplished through County Extension educational meetings, industry sponsored producer meetings, county field days, and through establishment of irrigation and cropping demonstrations in all geographical areas of the Panhandle. Precision Agriculture technology transfer resulted from consultation with producers, media releases, AgriPartner annual reports, and close coordination with crop and farm consultants who use AgriPartner collected information on a daily and weekly basis.  Insect and disease information collected by AgriPartner personnel were summarized and disseminated weekly to 43 media outlets.

C.  Milestones achieved: 

·        Established and conducted 75 crop and irrigation demonstrations involving 5140 acres of summer crops and 2360 acres of small grains.  On-farm Demonstrations were conducted  in nearly all counties of the Panhandle - resulting in effective technology transfer of improved irrigation, cropping, agronomic, and pest management practices; many of which included several facets of Precision Agriculture.

·        Data from AgriPartner projects and demonstrations showed that models used in Senate Bill 1 data gathering efforts greatly over-predicted the amount of irrigation water irrigation applied to crops by farmers in the Panhandle. Current project data is used in updating the Panhandle Regional Water Plan

·        Data from AgriPartner demonstrations were used to modify and improve cotton and wheat growth and water use prediction models used in the North Plains Evapotranspiration Network. Field data collected from the demonstrations were used to calibrate and check NPET growth model predictions used on the NPET website and in preparing daily faxes sent to producers. 

·        AgriPartners conducted insect and disease surveys for all major crops in all areas of the Panhandle.  The information gathered provided current information on pest status, and provides a database for development and calibration of disease and insect models used for predicting pest buildups and outbreaks.

·        AgriPartners participates with North Plains and Panhandle Ground Water Conservation Districts in locating cooperators, installing, and reading water meters on more than 150 irrigation wells in the Texas Panhandle with the purpose of actually measuring the amount of irrigation water applied to crops.  Many of the AgriPartner irrigation demonstrations are located on farms whose wells or pivots have water meters. These activities provide information for Regional Water planning efforts and will provide data for future water plan updates and modification.

D.  Publications:

2001 AgriPartner Report (a detailed compilation and graphing of AgriPartner data reported from demonstrations and surveys. Analyses include production, water use and value, comparison of NPET crop model predicted growth and water use with field measured growth stages and water use, and summaries of pest reporting.)

 AgriPartner Weekly Report (Regionalized report of Insect and Disease activity and possible control measures that is distributed weekly to 43 media outlets, primarily newspapers.  The reports are prepared by the District Entomologist.)

E.   Precision agriculture proposals: Sustainable Agriculture and Education (SARE) Program grant “On-farm cropping demonstrations of irrigation technology and water management for the Texas Panhandle (applied)

F.   Precision Agriculture meetings attended/papers (posters) presented: None

G.  Other developments:  AgriPartners provides a direct link to producers for disseminating and demonstrating improved technology.  The Extension County Agents and the AgriPartner Farm Demonstration Assistants work with Producers on a daily basis thus creating a direct communication link to Agricultural Producers and in reality, to the whole agricultural community, including lenders, industry, consultants and the producer.