"SmartSampling" technological package for the sustainable use of fertilizers, correctives and creation of management zones

• Grant number: 18/08555-5
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Duration: February 01, 2019 - January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Convênio/Acordo: FINEP - PIPE/PAPPE Grant
• Principal Investigator: Henrique Coutinho Junqueira Franco
• Grantee: Henrique Coutinho Junqueira Franco
• Host Company: Cropman Inovação Tecnológica e Agricultura Digital Ltda
• CNAE: Atividades de apoio à agricultura ; Pesquisa e desenvolvimento experimental em ciências físicas e naturais
• City: Campinas
• Pesquisadores principais: Guilherme Martineli Sanches
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/14678-5 - Smart Sampling technology package for sustainable inputs uses and management zones creation, BP.TT; 19/03257-9 - Smart Sampling tecnology: sustability use of fertilizers and manegement zones creation, BP.PIPE

Abstract

The Brazilian agreement signed in September 2016 during COP-21 reaffirms the vital role of Brazil with sugarcane production, the main Brazilian biomass for renewable fuels such as ethanol. Together with the need to expand production, the increase of fertilizer consumption is intrinsic. Increasing production means increasing the inputs application. Thus, if the management of inputs is not carried out properly, the impacts to the environment can be harmful, polluting natural resources. In this context, it is evident the need of producers to prepare themselves in front of a competitive market that demands bigger productions with better quality, using technologies that allow to optimize the management and decision-making process in the fields. For this, among the various production stages, the fertilizers application is a crucial point for production sustainability. Currently, one of the limiting factors for accurate soil mapping is the amount of samples needed. To obtain an adequate soil mapping of the physical and chemical attributes, it is necessary to perform a dense sampling in the field (high number of samples per hectare), often making the activity impractical both physically and economically. Most service providers in the market map the soil spatial variability and its fertility through dense regular grids, what means high costs. In this context, together with the latest mapping and data analysis technologies, the present project aims to implement a technological package, called "Smart Sampling", which will allow the accurate mapping of soils and their fertility through of an efficient (economically and physically feasible) sample grids. Like that adopted by the petroleum industry, where soil seismic are mapped to later orientation and drilling of the oil well, CROPMAN - Inovação Agrícola Ltda. proposes to perform a soil mapping through an intelligent and guided soil sampling by soil attributes that are obtained quickly and inexpensively, like as the apparent electrical conductivity (CEa) and landscape information. The solution proposed in the present project has already been scientifically proven by the CROPMAN team, being that it presents high potential of innovation for the productive sector. In this way, the company's next step is to implement the "Smart Sampling" platform to bring innovation to the field by offering the solution described in this project, allowing the company to increase the scalability of the service currently provided. Through this project, CROPMAN - Inovação Agrícola Ltda. intends to maximize its profitability by providing the producer with a more complete and effective solution in the estimation of soil fertility and, consequently, in the management and decision making of sugarcane fields. (AU)