Israel has a history of high tech agriculture innovation. Drip irrigation was invented in Israel in the 1970s. It is a hot spot for ag tech start-ups and PA research. But overall adoption of PA technology, except for soil moisture sensors for irrigation management, seems similar to that of Europe. Global Satellite System Navigation (GNSS) guidance is popular and a standard feature on newer & larger equipment. A few farmers are trying out variable rate input application. Use of plant and soil sensing, except soil moisture sensors, is rare. This note highlights some information gathered from researchers and extension staff in Israel with the help of ISPA member David Bonfil, of the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Gilat Research Center, Israel. To put the information below in context it is useful to know that Israel has about 200,000 ha of field and annual vegetable crops of which about 50% is wheat, and about 100,000 ha of orchards and vineyards. The current PA situation is:

• Overall, about 30% of farmers use GNSS autosteer and 10% use lightbars, but 75%-85% of large combines, tractors and sprayers use the technology.
• About 10% of existing sprayers and most new sprayers use GNSS boom control
• Yield mapping is used for grains, grapes and olives. About 95% of grain, grape and olive harvesters are equipped with yield monitors and 60% of farmers do yield mapping. There is one combine with a grain protein sensor.
• About 50% of farmers use satellite images. Drone imagery is used on about 30 farms. .
• About half of arable land in Israel can be irrigated and because water is scarce about 50% of farmers use soil moisture sensors to manage irrigation. Few farmers use other types of soil or plant sensors. There is only one commercial electro-conductivity mapping machine in the country.
• Most farmers do whole field soil sampling if they do any soil sampling at all. Perhaps 2% of farmers do soil sampling by management zone and grid sampling is almost unknown.
• Variable rate application of nitrogen fertilizer is used by about 5% of farmers. A few farmers use site-specific weed management and precision guided cultivation.
• Dairy automation including robots for milking and feeding is used on about 50% of dairy farms.

If your success rests on accurate projections of the continuing rise of precision agriculture and digital farming, the  PrecisionAg® VISION Conference is an event you won't want to miss. January 14-16, 2019 Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
 
Organizers have curated a comprehensive agenda full of remarkable insight from strategic leaders in crop production throughout North America and beyond. Gain market-tested perspective and context on just how much of a game changer the latest advancement in precision agriculture and digital farming will be.
 

2019 Conference Takeaways

PREGA SCIENCE 2019 - International Conference on Precision Agriculture and Agro-Informatics

Dates: 28-31 May 2019

Location: Columbia, Missouri, USA

Website: www.pss2019.org

 

Dating back to 2008, the GWPSS provides a venue for exchanging research and application information related to all aspects of proximal soil sensing. With the theme of “Linking Soil Sensing to Management Decisions,” the 2019 workshop will include keynotes, oral and poster presentations, and a field day with equipment demonstrations.

 

 

Please visit the website for more details and to submit your abstract.

• Authors have been notified regarding their submissions.
• Full papers (8 pages) will then be required by 9 December 2018.
• February 2019 – return of reviewed papers and confirmation of acceptance.
• A final deadline for submission of finalised papers will be set with the proceedings editor and will be notified shortly.
• Poster abstracts must be received by Wednesday 1 May 2019 to be accepted.
• Editorial work to ensure poster abstract they can be submitted to the book of abstracts must be completed by Friday 31 May 2019.
• Registrations will open shortly.
• Closing dates for early bird registrations will be the 15 March 2019.
• The closing date for final registrations, will be confirmed later.

The InfoAg conference will be held July 23-25, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA at the Union Station. 

 

InfoAg features a full program of concurrent presentation on how technology is being applied to food, fiber, and fuel production. Speakers range from agronomic researchers, engineers, and economomists, each with a practical application of how they are using technology to improve production on the farm and in their business. 

 

InfoAg also features an exhibit hall of over 100 vendors featuring hardware, software, and precision ag services. 

 

Learn more about InfoAg at infoag.org

2019 NUE Workshop: Developing Tools Adaptive to Wicked Nitrogen will be held August 5-7, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri, USA. 

 

* wicked: a problem that is challenging to solve because of incomplete and changing requirements athat are often difficult to recognize. 

for more information visit, www.nue2019mo.org

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