<b>Determination of management zones using yield data</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v28i4.937

Abstract

Precision agriculture is a set of technologies that aims the efficiency increase based on the differentiated management of agricultural areas. In this context, it is important to establish methodologies to use the yield information, soil or indicators in the determination of management zones. The aim of this paper was to develop a methodology for the definition of management zones according to yield maps of five growing seasons. The soybean yield was measured from 1998 to 2002, in an area in Cascavel, Paraná State, Brazil. Yield maps were generated using geostatic techniques. The sampled area has 1.74 ha with 256 plots: 128 with site- specific chemical management and 128 without site-specific chemical management. A plot combine was used for harvest. In the experiment the spatial dependence was verified for both planting systems in each year. The punctual values of soybean yield of each year were standardized using the standard score technique. After that, these values were reclassified in low, medium and high, allowing the comparison of productivities in different years and the generation of a yield average map. Management zones were generated according to the standardized yields and also to the coefficient of variation being classified in low, medium and high. The methodology was efficient to identify homogeneous zones.