1. Management Zones
Starr Holtz
SOIL 4213
April 26, 2006

2. "Management zones are regions of a farm field that have been differentiated from the rest of the field for the purpose of receiving individual management attention."

3. Management zones are the smallest subdivision in which the field is managed.
Divided according to it’s production capabilities
seeding
chemical
fertilizer
lime

4. Justification for delineating zones
Spatial variability
Soil properties
Soil texture
% Organic Matter
Water holding capacity
Nutrient levels pH
Effects of past management

5. Creating Management Zones
The natural variability of a specific field will determine the number of distinct zones.
“Satellite-Derived Management Zones" (SAMZ)
aerial photography is used to take an image of the field
a computer program is used to delineate zones
no soil sampling required

6. Creating Management Zones
Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) in a Geographical Information System (GIS).
zones are created according to DEMs using GIS
no soil sampling required

7. Creating Management Zones
Site-Specific Basis
must include all the factors that affect management on a farm
utilizes all information available
the characteristics of a zone may not only depend on the physical field characteristics and the application equipment characteristics, but also the pattern in which the application equipment traverses the field
the minimum size of a zone is limited by the ability of the farmer to differentially manage regions within a field

8. Tools used to delineate zones
Bare soil aerial imagery
before rain
after rain
Topographic maps
Vegetation aerial imagery
early season
mid season
late-season
Soil surveys
Field boundaries
Maps of any field
anomalies
Yield maps
GIS

9. Tools Con’t Soil test results Pest scouting reports
Tile drain information
Zone size estimation
minimum zone size
No real maximum size
Field history information:
position of old roads, houses, etc.
maps of earthworks, cut and fill operations
areas of past differential fertilization
extent of irrigation (center pivot corners)
position of old field divisions, fence lines
position of old wetlands, or tree stands

10. Management zones are dynamic
They must be evaluated and adjusted over time

11. 1939

12. 1956

13. 1968

14. 1982

15. 1990

16. pH

17. Conclusions Zone sampling results in lower sampling costs
Improves profitability and environmental protection
Manage in-field variability

18. Sources http://nespal.cpes.peachnet.edu/pa/home/main.asp?targetDir=2
Qamar-uz-Zaman and A.W. Schumann Nutrient Management Zones for Citrus Based on Variation in Soil Properties and Tree Performance. Precision agriculture. 7:1:45-63.
Mzuku, M., F. Smith, L. MacDonald, D. Inman, R. Khosla, and R. Reich Soil Science Society of America. 69:5:

19. Questions??
“By knowledge of appropriate management zones less dynamic areas can be treated as homogenous units”