Sustainability Aspects of Precision Agriculture for Row Crops in Florida and the Southeast United States: SSAGR184/AG186, rev. 9/2020

Abstract

Precision agriculture or site-specific management is a knowledge-based technical management system, where sensing, information technologies, and mechanical systems enable sub-field crop management that can help optimize farm profits and minimize agriculture's impact on the environment. This technology has been developed over several decades through private sector and university research efforts, with new technologies and applications available every year. Information about a field can be obtained and continuously updated to refine management strategies or solve production issues through the season. Stated another way, it is the determination of optimal inputs needed for profitable production. This article discusses precision agriculture, recent developments in technology and factors to consider when adopting these technologies, particularly as they relate to row crop production in Florida.

Original publication date October 2002. Revised July 2006, October 2013, December 2016. September 2020 revision by Ian Small