AGRONOMY
PRECISION AG
Fusion
is the future
t
By Joseph Russo
here is a quiet, technical revolution
occurring in agriculture that is going to impact the field of precision
agriculture in the very near future. Lacking
good terminology, I will call this revolution the “fusion” of machines, sensors and
models. This fusion is being borne out of the
explosion of data being realized through the
integration of information, computer and
communication technologies with traditional
hardware and analytical thinking. It is going
to affect the very nature of decision-making
in crop management and every device and
machine engaged in field production. Before
elaborating on the “fusion,” I will briefly
review the individual evolution of machines,
sensors and models.
Since the beginning of agriculture, man
has sought devices, such as tools, pumps and
plows, to improve the efficiency of crop production while reducing labor and conserving
resources. These devices were first operated
by hand, later pulled by animals, and lastly
powered by engines. The transformation of
agriculture by machines in just the last 100
years has been truly amazing. As reported
in a 2005 USDA bulletin entitled “The 20th
Century Transformati ۈوK