The application of various software programs for mapping yields in precision agriculture

University of Agriculture in Krakow, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering

^* Corresponding author: rtwalczy@cyf-kr.edu.pl

Abstract

Yields mapping can be done in GIS programs as well as in specialized software for agriculture. These can be programs designed for preparing informative and application maps and also software designed for integrated management of agricultural production that have a built-in GIS module. In the presented study, representatives of those three groups were taken into consideration – QGIS, Agro-Map, and Farm^TMWorks Office (now Trimble Ag Software). The aim of the study was to evaluate the compatibility of the obtained yield maps in terms of basic statistical and geostatistical parameters, such as the average yield, the coefficient of variability, placement on the field zones with different yield ranges, and their percentage share in the area of the field surface. Calculations and visualization of the results were done for winter wheat, winter rape, and corn, cultivated in three-year rotation on one field. All three presented programs allow preparation of raw yield monitoring data so that yield maps produced with identical assumptions of interpolation parameters differ slightly. The difference in the use of these applications is mainly due to the further use of the resulting maps, the time required to learn the program, the task execution time, and the cost of purchase.