PRECISION AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE FOR TEXAS HIGH PLAINS

2001 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE REPORT

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Agricultural Extension Service

Reporting Period:  January 1, 2001 – December 31, 2001

A.          Summary of Progress:  (Summarize progress on each specific objective listed above)       

1.      We have been pursuing this line of research for the last two years, however, we are not at the end of our experiments.  Greenbug infestations did cause a change in the percentage reflectance in all bandwidths measured up to a certain greenbug density per plant, and then the measurements dropped and remained relatively constant.  It seems that we need to compartmentalize the research to a narrower band of greenbug densities to determine when wheat begins to respond spectrally.  Additional data are needed and field truthing is also necessary to make specific recommendations about the feasibility of using these devices. In the 2002-2003 biennium, we will continue with this research at both the greenhouse and field level.  We will also expand the field research to include sorghum as well as wheat.  An MS student from West Texas A&M is currently involved with this project, with an expected matriculation date in 2002.  The research is also partially sponsored by the Texas Wheat Producer Board.

2.      This research was carried out for three years on sorghum, utilizing Precision Agriculture funding.  We have compiled the results and a referred journal article is in review.  To summarize the results: In a three-year study (1998-2000) we determined the effect of evapotranspiration-based irrigation regimes and plant population density on peak greenbug density in grain sorghum.  Although yearly temperatures, total precipitation and seasonal distribution of precipitation varied greatly, when peak greenbug densities were compared within an irrigation regime across plant population levels, peak densities generally decreased significantly (p=0.05) as plant populations increased.  When peak greenbug densities were compared within a plant population across irrigation regimes, peak greenbug densities either increased significantly (p=0.05) as irrigation levels increased or were not significantly different.  Our results compared favorably to previous research which examined sorghum plant density and canopy coverage.  This research is continuing on wheat.  Low to non-existent greenbug field infestations in wheat for the last four years have slowed the progress of the research, however, 2002 looks to be a “greenbug year”, and data collection is underway.  In addition, results of remote sensing  sampling need to be coupled to the biotic data we have collected.

3.      A Western corn rootworm  model, utilizing the NPPET weather station network is progressing.  We have recently joined forces with Dr. Marvin Harris at TAMU, and a model ready for truthing should be ready for the 2002 corn season.  This research is co-sponsored by the Texas Corn Producers Board. 

 

In addition to the progress outlined above, the entomology program’s development use remote sensing   opportunities, coupled with some of the results have allowed us to participate in other funded research areas that will further enhance the sum of work coming out of the Precision Agriculture Initiative.  With new opportunities abounding, especially with remote sensing of small grain aphids in wheat, and remote sensing of noxious weed infestations, we believe that the funding to date for Precision Agriculture has not only allowed specific objectives to be addressed, but has also allowed the program to develop the expertise necessary to take on new and varied research initiative in a wide area of pest-related matters.

B.          Education/technology transfer:

 

Michels, J., D. Dowdy, and D. Owings. 2000 Multispectral radiometers as a device to detect greenbugs on winter wheat. TAES/TAEX/USDA/WTAMU 2000 Bushland Spring Crops Field Day. Bushland, Texas.

Michels, G. J., Jr., D. A. Fritts, and J. B. Bible. 2001. Using multispectral radiometers to remote sense greenbug infestations in winter wheat. Report to the Texas Wheat Producers Board.

C.          Milestones achieved: 

1.      Completed and published results of research on the interactions among sorghum plant population density, watering regimes and greenbug infestations.

2.      Initiated a collaboration with Dr. Marvin Harris (TAMU) to enhance development of the Western corn rootworm emergence model.

3.      Participated in the development of a hyperspectral remote sensing platform, and have been able to expand the use of the platform to remote sensing of noxious weeds in two unrelated research programs in the Texas Panhandle and on federal lands in Colorado.

D.          Publications: (Provide complete references)

Michels, G. J. Jr., C. M. Rush, G. Piccinni, D. A. Fritts, and D. Jones. 2002. Effect of irrigation regimes and plant populations on greenbug (Homoptera: Aphididae) density in grain sorghum. Southwest Entomol. In review.

E.             Precision agriculture proposals: (List all proposals related to PA and indicate amount of request and if they were funded):

Developing a Model System for Integrated Management of Musk Thistle. USDA-SARE

Planning Proposal. $14,000. Not funded.

Remote sensing for Detection and Differentiation of Biotic and Abiotic Stresses – USDA-SRIPM. Not funded.

Sensing Greenbug Infestations With Multi-spectral Radiometers – Texas Wheat Producers Board. Funded for $9,000.

Application of Western corn rootworm development models – Texas Corn Producers Board.  Funded for $9,500.

Biological Control of Noxious Weeds at Ft. Carson, Colorado. Funded for $53,020.  A portion of this funding will be directed toward remote sensing of noxious weed infestation using a hyperspectral radiometer.

Biologically Intensive Areawide IPM of the Russian Wheat Aphid and Greenbug. USDA-ARS Special Initiative.  Funded for five years at  $275,900 total.  A portion of this funding, including salaries for an assistant research scientist, will be used to conduct remote sensing research in wheat.

F.           Precision Agriculture meetings attended/papers (posters) presented:

Piccinni, G., C. M. Rush, K. C. Steddom, and G. J. Michels. 2001. Interactions between plant populations and PET-based irrigation in grain sorghum. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting. Charlotte, NC. 10/21-25/01.

G.         Other developments: (Anything that impacted research progress, positive or negative):

POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS:

In 2001, the Entomology Program entered into a cooperative agreement with the USDA-ARS at Stillwater, OK, to participate in a special initiative entitled “Biologically Intensive Areawide IPM of the Russian Wheat Aphid and Greenbug.”  This research will be conducted for five years (2002-2007), and our program will receive a total of $275,900 in funding.  This research will compare and identify optimal crop rotations for small grain aphid suppression in the Great Plains.  Twenty researchers will participate in the project, ranging from Wyoming to Texas.  Although our program’s reputation for research on greenbugs and Russian wheat aphids was key to our participation in this project, an additional aspect of the research includes remote sensing of  aphid infestations in wheat.  Our research under the Precision Agriculture Initiative for the last four years permitted us to develop this new line of research in the areawide IPM project.  Funding from the project will include the salary for an assistant research scientist to conduct remote sensing research for the next five years.  This scientist will work closely with the Precision Agriculture Team’s effort to research and develop hyperspectral remote sensing capabilities.  We believe that previous Precision Agriculture Initiative funding was instrumental in our ability to develop a reputation in remote sensing, and thus be able to attract these additional funds and the resulting position.

Since 1997, the Entomology Program at Bushland has been involved in a program to develop biological control of noxious weeds on federal lands in Colorado.  In 2002, this program will be expanded to the F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, WY.  This project now encompasses various federal sites extending along the Colorado and Wyoming Front Range.  In 2002, we entered into an agreement with the funding agencies involved in this research to initiate a remote sensing aspect for Canada and musk thistle, spotted knapweed, and saltcedar infestations on a minimum of two our of five sites.  We expect this effort to expand to include all sites in the future.  Again, Precision Agriculture Initiative funding was very important in securing this funding, since it has lead directly to the development of expertise in the remote sensing field, and the resultant expansion of this program.

Finally, Precision Agriculture Initiative funding and support has allowed us to secure continuing support funding from the Texas Corn Producers Board (currently three years, with at least one additional year pending in 2002), and the Texas Wheat Producers Board (currently four years) for wheat- and corn-related precision agriculture research outlined the objectives .

NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENTS:

            We expected to be much farther along with the research in remote sensing of aphids in wheat.  However, field conditions have not be amenable for this in the last four years.  A lack of greenbug infestations in wheat throughout the High Plains of Texas has probably been due to severe climatic conditions, specifically drought.  We continue to take advantage of favorable situations as they appear, and 2002 looks to be a very good opportunity since greenbug infestations developed in the latter part of 2001, and currently continue in wheat.

            In addition, we have a graduate student conducting research on remote sensing of greenbug infestations in wheat.  Although the research is underway, progress to date has been much less than expected, and his matriculation date has been postponed until at least the fall of 2002, perhaps the spring of 2003.  A major impact on this student’s ability to conduct his research was the acceptance of a position with TCE.  The research has been postponed as his new job develops. However, we do expect progress to improve during the spring of 2002.