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Agronomy
Special Issues
Development of Precision Agriculture to Manage Crop Growth and Nutrition
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Development of Precision Agriculture to Manage Crop Growth and Nutrition

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Precision and Digital Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2021) | Viewed by 10886

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Spiros Mouzakitis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Decision support systems Laboratory, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Interests: artificial intelligence; big data; analytics; decision support systems; data engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ever-evolving technological advancements in artificial intelligence, big data, high-performance computing and the Internet of things are rapidly shaping the next generation of precision agriculture. Precision agriculture is an innovative farming management concept, where farmers are utilizing knowledge, decision-support tools and data from sensors, drones, satellites and peripheral devices (such as smartphones and cameras) to optimize farming practices, yield and return-on-investment, while at the same time improving food quality and minimizing food waste. The results of the optimization can be utilized in a great variety of applications including crop production, fertilizing efficiency and precision irrigation.

This Special Issue aims to present the state-of-the-art methods, technologies and applications in precision agriculture with focus on the management of crop growth and nutrition. This includes innovative approaches that aim to support decision-making and efficient automation based on crop growth models, analytics and predictions of high accuracy, regarding any aspect of crop growth and nutrition, including rotations, irrigation, fertilization, pesticides management and tillage. Authors are encouraged to present their technological solutions and achievements (in terms of data fusion, performance, interoperability and model accuracy and validation) along with their business impact (in terms of benefits, costs, adoption, profitability and sustainability).

The purpose of the Special Issue is to promote research and development in precision agriculture for managing crop growth and nutrition by publishing high-quality research articles and reviews/studies in this rapidly growing field.

Dr. Spiros Mouzakitis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • precision agriculture
  • crop growth
  • crop yield
  • nutrition
  • artificial intelligence
  • Internet of things
  • big data

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 1896 KiB  
Article
Ion-Exclusion/Cation-Exchange Chromatography Using Dual-Ion-Exchange Groups for Simultaneous Determination of Inorganic Ionic Nutrients in Fertilizer Solution Samples for the Management of Hydroponic Culture
by Daisuke Kozaki, Yuki Sago, Taku Fujiwara, Masanobu Mori, Chihiro Kubono, Tougo Koga, Yuta Mitsui and Tomotaka Tachibana
Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1847; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091847 - 15 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2843
Abstract
In this study, ion-exclusion/cation-exchange chromatography (IEC/CEC) using dual-ion-exchange groups (carboxy and sulfo groups) for the simultaneous determination of anions (SO42−, Cl−, NO3−, and HPO42−) and cations (Na+, NH [...] Read more.
In this study, ion-exclusion/cation-exchange chromatography (IEC/CEC) using dual-ion-exchange groups (carboxy and sulfo groups) for the simultaneous determination of anions (SO42−, Cl−, NO3−, and HPO42−) and cations (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+) was developed. By using the combination of dual-ion-exchange groups, simultaneous separation of inorganic ions with HPO42− was achieved that was impossible by the conventional IEC/CEC based on the single-ion-exchange group (carboxy group). This method was applied to the monitoring of inorganic ionic nutrients in fertilizer solution samples in hydroponic culture. As a result, a higher peak resolution of inorganic anions and cations with phosphate ion using IEC/CEC with dual-ion-exchange groups was achieved in the absence of matrix effects. In addition, the developed method helps to understand the behavior of ionic nutrients in fertilizer solution during hydroponic cultivation and is potentially useful for the individual fertilization of ionic nutrients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Precision Agriculture to Manage Crop Growth and Nutrition)
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14 pages, 1808 KiB  
Article
The Economic Results of Investing in Precision Agriculture in Durum Wheat Production: A Case Study in Central Italy
by Adele Finco, Giorgia Bucci, Matteo Belletti and Deborah Bentivoglio
Agronomy 2021, 11(8), 1520; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081520 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3347
Abstract
Today, precision agriculture technologies (PATs) can be considered a tool for the management of the farm which allows the agricultural entrepreneur to optimise inputs, reduce costs, and offer the best quantitative and qualitative agricultural products. In Italy, the number of digital farmers is [...] Read more.
Today, precision agriculture technologies (PATs) can be considered a tool for the management of the farm which allows the agricultural entrepreneur to optimise inputs, reduce costs, and offer the best quantitative and qualitative agricultural products. In Italy, the number of digital farmers is still low; therefore, it is not yet possible to assess with certainty the actual economic benefits that technologies bring to the farm. To bridge this gap, the paper proposes, through the analysis of a case study, an assessment of the economic efficiency of an Italian cereal farm that has invested in precision agriculture. The results reveal that, unlike what is reported in the literature, after the technological adoption, the farm keeps both the yield and variable costs stable. However, the major benefit is recorded in the decrease in labour costs (−20%) and in the reduction of pesticides (−53%). The increase in the quantity of nitrogen (+11%) and of seed distributed in the field (+5%) indicates that, in the face of a significant increase in total costs due to the capital invested in technology, the farm aims to intensify production rather than reduce agricultural inputs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Precision Agriculture to Manage Crop Growth and Nutrition)
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23 pages, 1908 KiB  
Article
Understanding Smallholder Farmers’ Intention to Adopt Agricultural Apps: The Role of Mastery Approach and Innovation Hubs in Mexico
by Janet Molina-Maturano, Nele Verhulst, Juan Tur-Cardona, David T. Güereña, Andrea Gardeazábal-Monsalve, Bram Govaerts and Stijn Speelman
Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020194 - 20 Jan 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3948
Abstract
While several studies have focused on the actual adoption of agricultural apps and the relevance of the apps’ content, very few studies have focused on drivers of the farmer’s intention and initial decision to adopt. Based on a survey of 394 smallholder farmers [...] Read more.
While several studies have focused on the actual adoption of agricultural apps and the relevance of the apps’ content, very few studies have focused on drivers of the farmer’s intention and initial decision to adopt. Based on a survey of 394 smallholder farmers in 2019, this study investigated willingness to adopt an agricultural advice app in Guanajuato, Mexico. A structural equation modeling approach, based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), was applied. To understand the farmers’ adoption decisions, extended constructs were studied (e.g., mastery-approach goals) along with the farmers’ age and participation in an innovation hub. Results showed that the intention to adopt the app is predicted by how farmers appraise the technical infrastructure and acquire new knowledge by using an app. The multi-group analysis revealed that performance expectancy is a relevant predictor of the intention to adopt, whereas the mastery-approach goal is relevant only for younger farmers and farmers not connected to the innovation hub. This study provides valuable insights about the innovation hubs’ role in the intention to adopt apps, offering precision agriculture advice in developing countries. The findings are useful for practitioners and app developers designing digital-decision support tools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Precision Agriculture to Manage Crop Growth and Nutrition)
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