Composite sampling by zone protocol

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The goal of this protocol is to organize the process to create zones for a particular field within a farm and use them to plan and carry out field sampling by zones.

Create management zones

The first step is to create your management/sampling zones, based on your Productivity maps. Some considerations are: 

  • Number of zones: having too many types of zones on the same field might make the field work more complicated, for instance, 3 to 5 zones could be manageable.
  • Zone limits: when going through the field visit, take into account and analyze where a zone transitions into a different zone, and whether it's a gradual or sudden process.
  • Historic crop behavior in each different productivity zone.
  • Operational conditions that may impact in your zone management (e.g.: if there's machinery available which can manage microzones)
  • Other aspects, such as topography, expected season weather, etc.


This how-to guide shows the steps for carrying it out: ..... //REFERENCE to Mike's Article


//REMOVE LIST

  1. Download productivity maps: If you are working with our Precision farming cycle or have ordered our Productivity maps, you may download them as shown in the linked guide.
  2. Restore your productivity maps into GeoAgro GIS
  3. Group your productivity zones into management zones: Productivity zones need to be grouped into simpler, easier to manage zones. The linked article will provide you with the steps for doing it, as well as some useful criteria.


The figure below is an example of management zones created, based on a productivity map

Productivity map Management Zones
How to create management zones based on PM 11.JPG How to create management zones based on PM 10.JPG


This layer will be used to plan your sampling, as shown in the next step.


Define Grid sampling points

Next, define a Grid of Sampling points, following these instructions: //put link TO GRID SAMPLING ARTICLE, 

//put figure


Take composite samples by zone in the field, then send them to the lab

It's now time to go to the field and take your samples.

You can take them using a GPS device, following these steps:

  1. Prepare your GPS for your field visit
    1. Connect your GPS to GeoAgro GIS: you need this to transfer your grid points from the previous step to your GPS device and use them in your sampling. These articles will help you with this:
    2. Upload your grid sampling points to your GPS device: you can now send the grid points for your management zones to your GPS device, and take them to the field.
  2. Go to the field and Use the GPS points in your GPS device to go to the predefined locations'
  3. Take your samples in each location, combining samples within each zone into a single composite sample
  4. Send your samples to the lab


//MIKE, cdo este la guia de goto ponemos la opcion con GNote como alternativa a 1. y 2


Receive lab results and specify recommendations by zone

In this step, lab results per sample are received

//PUT FIGURE

Based on the lab results, the agronomist analyzes the nutrient and chemical corrections requirements by zone, and available products in the region. As a result, a specific recommendation by field/zone is determined, as illustrated int the following figure.

//PUT FIGURE

This will be used in the creation of prescription maps to send to the application machine.