This project received funding from the European Union to develop a soil map-based variable rate application and machine automation system for potato production. The system includes: 1) A Soil Map Service that creates high-resolution soil maps using sensor data and soil analyses. 2) A Variable Rate Application Map Service that generates precision crop management task maps based on soil variability maps. 3) An Automation & Machine Communication system that automatically translates task maps into machine instructions and logs application data. The goal is to improve potato yields, quality, and farming efficiency through precision agriculture techniques informed by detailed soil data analysis and variable rate applications. Field trials were conducted in 2016-2018 to validate and refine the system.

1. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
Soil map based variable rate applications and machine automation in potato production
UC1.1. WITHIN-FIELD
MANAGEMENT ZONING
Coordinators: Peter Paree, ZLTO & Corné Kempenaar,
WUR

2. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
FARM ASSET
PRODUCTION
FARM PRODUCTION PROCESSING
INDUSTRY
TRANSPORT RETAILER &
END-CONSUMER
The Value Chain
Soil map based variable rate applications
VARIABLE RATE
APPLICATION MAP
AUTOMATION & MACHINE
COMMUNICATION
SOIL MAP SERVICE
Data Exchange

3. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
SOIL MAP SERVICE
VARIABLE RATE
APPLICATION MAP
AUTOMATION & MACHINE
COMMUNICATION
Product Impressions
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard

4. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
SOIL MAP SERVICE
Creation of Soil map with
propriety software
VARIABLE RATE
APPLICATION MAP
Creation of VRA map in GIS
FMIS with propriety software
AUTOMATION & MACHINE
COMMUNICATION
Application of Machine task
map and logging of results
Product Functionality
Terminal with steering and
logging software
FMIS and GIS platform
Task map converter
Open Data VRA Model
Field Coordinates
Soil Scan
Soil Analysis Data
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard

5. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
Existing soil maps are not very user friendly and lack
a certain level of precision in mapping relevant
variability.
Major Challenge Here is what we aim to improve (KPIs)
Higher Forecast
Precision
Electro-magnetic sensor data analysis –
Measurement of soil structure, texture,
mineral composition and organic matter with
scan technology.
Soil sampling and Chemical analysis –
Smart soil sampling and soil analysis on
organic matter and clay content, nutrients,
pH-level, etc.)
Higher Resolution
of Soil MapCore Product Features
Soil Map Service
Customer & Provider
Uses agronomic knowledge to create map of soil
characteristics like organic matter or clay content,
water storage capacity, etc..
Advance soil mapping
Farmers and advisors
-5%
+5%
Accurate forecast of soil variability will lead to use of soil
maps in precision crop management. Soil map service should
be cost-effective at the farm level.
Product Factsheet
Price per unit, added value
LoonwerkGPS,
soil analysis labs,
FMIS providers
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard

6. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
Major Challenge Here is what we aim to improve (KPIs)
Yield by better
plant distribution
Variable planting distance map –
Validation in 2017 and 2018. Nov. 2018
portal where maps can be ordered.
Variable rate herbicide use map -
Validation in 2016 and 2017. May 2018
portal where maps can be ordered.
Quality by better
plant distribution
Reduction
pesticide use
Core Product Features
Variable Rate
Application Map Service
Customer & Provider
Uses soil maps and agronomic knowledge to create
crop management task map based on variability in
soil characteristics like organic matter and/or clay
content, water storage capacity, tramlines, shade,
etc..
Smart application of resources: seeds,
pesticides, fertilizers +4%
+5%
-23%
Better distribution of plants leads to +5% kilos and +5% better quality
(more potatoes in desired size). Taking soil characteristics for weed
growth into account: -23% less herbicide and +2% more yield.
Enriching canopy index with soil characteristics lead to -10% less
additional N fertilizer (2nd phase).
These values derive from comparison of a standard farm’s performance
prior to the installation of our system and after.
Reduction
fertilizer use
-10%
Product Factsheet
Existing variable rate maps are often based on
tweaking expert judgement and lack a certain level of
precision in tasking / lack of validation.
Farmers and advisors
Price per unit, added value
LoonwerkGPS,
soil analysis labs,
FMIS providers VRA additional N spraying
June 2018 on Growth + Soil Maps.
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard

7. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
Major Challenge Here is what we aim to improve (KPIs)
Time Reduction
Precise task map translators on
planter, spreader and sprayer
software - machine software, flow
prepared with handwork. Test in 2018
Machine interfaces - flow prepared with
handwork. Interaction with UC 1.4
Higher application
precisionCore Product Features
Automation & Machine
Communication
Customer & Provider
Machine software for managing data on machines in
a standardized way, allowing precise machine
steering and variable rate logging
Automatic translation of VRA
maps into machine tasks -5%
+5%
Product Factsheet
Comfort +5%
Last mile hurdle: automatic translation of crop
management task into machine task map plus
logging of as applied map for use in next crop
management decisions
KPI’s are based on expert judgement. We also predict better crop
management decisions later on.
Farmers and advisors
Price per unit, added value
LoonwerkGPS,
soil analysis labs,
FMIS providers
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard

8. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
Here is the differenceWithout our Product or Service With our Product or Service
Standard plant distance
Could be better with more seed
potatoes along tramlines and high
lutum, less plants in shade
Variable potato planting on sprayer
tramlines, shade and lutum (clay).
Variable planting based on NL tree
database, tramline plan and soil map.
Target User – Small to medium size farms (50ha – 200ha)
• Less production costs
• Less adverse side effects
• Higher yield and quality
Standard soil herbicide application
Less herbicide could be used in
zones with lower lutum and organic
matter content.
Standard additional N spraying
Could be more effective when related
to canopy and soil.
Variable soil herbicide application
23% less soil herbicide realized, by lower
application at lower levels of lutum and
organic matter, plus higher yield.
Better N advice with soil map
Canopy index advice can be improved on
subparcels with high growth capacity.
Product User Story
Homogenous
crop and product
Less herbicide use,
better product
More effective
use N
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard

9. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
Here is the difference
More homogenous
product
More sustainable p
roduction
Less production
costs
Without our Product or Service With our Product or Service
Standard planting – Quality of
produce Could be better with
optimized planting density. System
allows data sharing in chains.
Variable potato planting on sprayer
tramlines, shade and lutum. Variable
planting contributes to more
homogenous produce and data sharing.
Here is how the activity is carried out
under your product or service.
Standard soil herbicide application
Less use reduces environmental impact
of produce and food quality, besides
economic benefits to farmer.
Standard additional N spraying
Less use reduces environmental
impact of produce and food quality,
besides economic benefits to farmer.
Variable soil herbicide application
23% less soil herbicide realized, by
lower application at lower levels of lutum
and organic matter
Better N advice with soil map
Canopy index advice can be improved
on subparcels with high growth capacity.
Product User Story
Processing Industry (e.g. fries producer)
• Better track and trace
• More sustainble processing
• Better processing result
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard

10. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement №731884
MVP Time Plan
May 2019
Flow ready for broad use
• Planting
• Soil herbicide
• Nitrogen application
April 2018
Flow prepared automatically in
Apps, handwork where
necessary
• Planting
• Soil herbicide
Nov. 2018
Flow includes ordering and
results platform on all products
May September 2018
Field trials
• Planting
• Soil herbicide
• Test nitrogen module
2nd MVP 3rd MVP 4th MVP1st MVP
High spatio-temporal monitoring dashboard