Financial and environmental performance of integrated precision farming systems

Smart farming technologies have a wide potential to improve agricultural performance, ranging from improved use of crop nutrients and plant protection products, increased crop quality and reduced overlaps to better production economy. In order to reduce the use of inputs and to diminish the adverse effects on the environment, more and more focus is put on site-specific application of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation water. However, the costs of implementing these technologies are often quite high, compared to the benefits. Therefore, a comprehensive methodology approach that facilitates the understanding of investments, costs and benefits can provide an overview of the most feasible pathways for farmers to implement precision agriculture (PA) and may offer the chance to significantly enhance the level of adoption of the most suitable technologies. The objective of this study is to describe an overall integrated methodology approach to support cost-benefit analysis related to PA. A number of scenarios and their financial and environmental performance are presented either as single technologies or as a combination of different technologies. Key outputs of the analysis are net present value with selected environmental indicators such as change in fuel, pesticides and water use compared with conventional practices from other similar technologies. Findings from this study indicate that PA is mainly beneficial to large scale farms

Use of the software Seed Vigor Imaging System (SVIS®) for assessing vigor of carrot seeds

Seed vigor has traditionally been evaluated by physiological, biochemical and stress tolerance tests. More recently, with the use of computerized image analysis, objective information has become accessible in a relatively short period of time, with less human interference. The aim of this study was to verify the efficiency of computerized seedling image analysis by Seed Vigor Imaging System (SVIS®) to detect differences in vigor between carrot (Daucus carota L.) seed lots as compared to those provided by traditional vigor tests. Seeds from seven lots from the Brasilia cultivar were subjected to a germination test, first count of germination, speed of germination, accelerated aging with saline solution and seedling emergence; furthermore, a vigor index, growth index and uniformity index were determined by the Seed Vigor Imaging System (SVIS®) during four evaluation periods. The results obtained by the computerized seedling analysis (vigor index and growth index) show that SVIS® is efficient in assessing carrot seed vigor