A Specific Challenge for Precision Agriculture (To Feed The World).

The crop system that we have been studying imposes a unique challenge for Precision Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering!

Our protocol calls for drilling three 25.4 cm (10 inch)rows of winter small grain every 152.4 cm,(60 inches) with a 76.2 cm (30 inch) fallow swath between each 76.2 cm grain swath, winter seeding a legume in the grain swath and planting a 19.05 cm (7.5 inch) twin row of corn in the exact center of the fallow swath, on 152.4 cm centers. Our preliminary data indicates that with proper site specific hybrid selection and site by hybrid specific supporting practices we can produce as much corn in 1 twin 152.4 cm row as we produce in 2 conventional state of the art 76.2 cm rows and produce an additional normal wheat crop with a greatly enhanced growth of stubble clover from the other 1/2 of the field. The corn yield data will be presented on a 'field' hectare basis without accounting for anything from the wheat. When we have the capability to harvest both crops we will report the corn yields per 'corn' hectare from its 1/2 of the field and the winter small grain/clover per small grain hectare from its 1/2 of the field. Until this capability is delivered, our process reports preliminary system yields, as corn grain yield per crop hectare, even though the corn yields constitute conclusive yield data from the corn 1/2 only, but with yield calculations, nevertheless, based on the entire field. We have observed readily visible indications that the base of the plant is, like the reproductive sink is, a benefactor of the extra photosynthates produced by the mature chloroplasts nearer to the base of the plants. The system is not limited to the crops reported in this paper or these swath widths but is a crop & row configuration that has multiple benefits beyond the yields reported and fits the popular 30 inch row equipment.  Other features of the system, implications and subsequent research objectives will be identified & discussed.