Proximal sensing techniques for soil variability understanding

• Grant number: 26/06239-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2026
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Lucas Rios do Amaral
• Grantee: Pedro Rodolfo Zolin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola (FEAGRI). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/03160-8 - Soil spatial variability mapping and optimized sampling supported by sensing techniques: bases for a more efficient and sustainable precision agriculture, AP.PNGP.PI

Abstract

The undergraduate research proposal is part of a broader project focused on mapping soil spatial variability and optimizing sampling strategies for precision agriculture. Its main goal is to improve the quality and reliability of information used in fertilizer recommendations, thereby contributing to more efficient and sustainable agricultural systems.The plan continues a previously partially completed scholarship and aims to use the remaining three months to address two key gaps in the main project. The selected student, with prior undergraduate research experience and international exchange training, will work on both field activities and data analysis, helping us complete these tasks more quickly.The activities focus on validating the optimal number of subsamples for soil fertility characterization, expanding and integrating results internationally, and evaluating the impact of variability among soil testing laboratories on fertility maps and fertilizer recommendations, with the aim of enhancing methodological robustness and data reliability in precision agriculture. (AU)