The iPSM-SD Framework: Enhancing Predictive Soil Mapping for Precision Agriculture Through Spatial Proximity Integration

A key challenge in precision agriculture is acquiring reliable spatial soil information under varying sampling densities, from sparse surveys to intensive monitoring. The individual predictive soil mapping (iPSM) method performs well in data-scarce conditions but neglects spatial proximity, limiting its predictive accuracy where spatial autocorrelation exists. To overcome this, we developed an enhanced framework, iPSM-Spatial Distance (iPSM-SD), which systematically integrates spatial proximity through multiplicative (MUL) and additive (ADD) strategies. The framework was validated using two contrasting cases: sparse soil organic carbon density data from Yunnan Province (n = 118) and dense soil organic matter data from Bayi Farm (n = 2511). Results show that the additive model (iPSM-ADD) significantly outperformed the original iPSM and benchmark models, including random forest, regression kriging, geographically weighted regression, and multiple linear regression, under sufficient sampling, achieving an R² of 0.86 and reducing RMSE by 46.6% at Bayi Farm. It also maintained robust accuracy under sparse sampling conditions. The iPSM-SD framework thus provides a unified and adaptive tool for digital soil mapping across a wide range of data availability, supporting scalable soil management decisions from regional assessment to field-scale variable-rate applications in precision agriculture.