Precision farming technologies for water and nutrient management in rice: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Enhancing the productivity of crops while reducing the environmental footprint are the major challenges especially for rice farming. Precison farming helps in optimising inputs such as fertilizers and water in tune with crop requirement recognizing the spatial and temporal variabilities within and across field. The precision tools viz. Remote sensing, site specific nutrient management systems, global positioning system (GPS), geographical information system (GIS), variable rate applicator, models and decision support system are used for implementing precision rice farming. The precision nutrient management technology like site specific nutrient management options, using sensors for estimating nutrient content in soil and crop and estimating the spatial variability of nutrients and mapping for variable rate fertiliser application helps in achieving the higher nutrient use efficiency compared to conventional practices. Similarly the precision water management such as sensors for moisture content determination and irrigation scheduling increases the water use efficiency. This paper covers the progress made in PF technologies for nutrient and water management focussing on challenged and opportunities in adoption of these technologies.