WikiLeeks: more precise leeks with precision farming

Project start date:01 January 2019

Project end date:31 December 2020

Website:https://www.groentenprecies.be/

Slowly but surely, techniques for precision agriculture are making their appearance in Flemish agriculture and horticulture. However, plots are usually still fertilized uniformly. However, even on small vegetable plots (<1 ha), we often notice a considerable variation in the nutritional status and crop development. That is why Inagro, ILVO, KU Leuven, VITO, PCG and PSKW have joined forces in the project “WikiLeeks: more precise leeks with precision agriculture”. The aim of the project is to make growers aware of this variation within their fields and to show them the value of a site-specific fertilization management in leek cultivation. To this end, we will collect and analyze plot-specific information using various precision techniques (e.g. soil scans, drone and satellite images). This data is then linked to existing growth and soil models to determine the crop requirement for nitrogen. With task cards it eventually becomes possible to fertilize site-specific at parcel level.

In the course of this project, the knowledge platform www.groentenprecies.be will be further expanded with expertise in sensor technology (soil scans and sensors mounted on a tractor, drone or satellite) and site-specific fertilization techniques.