TuberZone – Development of an innovative spatial crop model and decision support system for improved potato agronomy
Lead Participant:
Soilessentials Limited
Abstract
The potato industry has witnessed a 10-year long yield stagnation; coupled with increasingly stringent demands on potato quality, there is a compelling need for farmers to increase marketable yield. This project aims to develop an innovative spatial crop model & integrated decision support system for improved variable rate seed planting, fertiliser use & irrigation scheduling to increase productivity of the potato value chain. Converging the multi-disciplinary expertise of Soil Essentials (SE), Newcastle University (NU), Mylnefield Research Services (MRS), Grimme (GR), & McCain (MC), we will build upon the MAPP point model (Management Advisory Package for Potatoes) by taking a holistic approach & considering the spatial variability of tuber size distribution to inform a new & improved adaptive spatial meta-model. The resulting spatial decision support system is cross-sectorial & has the potential to transform in-field decision-making, not just for potato farming but also for other root & arable crops.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
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Soilessentials Limited, Brechin | £411,798 | £ 247,079 |
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Participant |
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Mccain Foods (G.B.) Limited, Scarborough | £60,002 | £ 12,000 |
Newcastle University, United Kingdom | ||
James Hutton Limited, DUNDEE | £92,563 | £ 55,538 |
Grimme (U.K.) Limited, BOSTON | £180,210 | £ 36,006 |
People |
ORCID iD |
Jim Wilson (Project Manager) |