The development of management units for site-specific farming

Abstract

Image analysis is a valuable tool that can be used to delineate management units for Site-Specific farming applications. Soil landscapes are often highly variable in terms of their productive potential. Because of the complex nature of these landscapes, only large-scale maps can provide the level of detail necessary for Site-Specific farming. Image analysis of black and white aerial photographs can be used as a cost effective method to delineate soil management units. In this study, extensive field sampling and laboratory analysis were used to characterize a soil landscape belonging to the Oxbow Association. The site was stratified into four management units by grouping the digital numbers on the scanned black and white aerial photograph into categories that reflect the changes in different soil properties across the landscape. The close relationship between the management units and the soil properties suggests that this technique is an effective method for stratifying landscapes into management units.