Management of Spatial Variability and Gis for Precision Agriculture
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
Acquire basic knowledge of analysis techniques and geostatistical tools useful for describing and modeling spatial data and their variability in agricultural contexts.
Be familiar with GIS methods and tools for generating soil and vegetation variability maps for precision agriculture applications.
Be familiar with GIS methods and tools for generating soil and vegetation variability maps for precision agriculture applications.
Expected learning outcomes
Capability to describe, understand, and critically analyze spatial data to assess their accuracy and generate thematic maps.
To apply GIS software functionalities to analyze and model spatial data in the field of precision agriculture.
To apply GIS software functionalities to analyze and model spatial data in the field of precision agriculture.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
The lectures and the exercises will be held on the Microsoft Teams platform and can be followed both synchronously according to the first semester schedule, and asynchronously because they will be recorded and left available to students on the same platform.
The program and reference material will not change.
The oral exam will take place using the Microsoft Teams platform. The candidate must deliver a written report before the oral exam. The presentation of the report is mandatory to access the oral exam. The report concerns the exercises carried out using QGIS, and the GSTAT and GeoR softwares
The program and reference material will not change.
The oral exam will take place using the Microsoft Teams platform. The candidate must deliver a written report before the oral exam. The presentation of the report is mandatory to access the oral exam. The report concerns the exercises carried out using QGIS, and the GSTAT and GeoR softwares
Course syllabus
The teaching takes place in the First Semester. It consists of 6 CFU, divided into:
4.5 CFU (36 hours) of face-to-face lectures, 0.5 CFU (8 hours) of tutorials, and 1 CFU (16 hours) of computer classroom tutorials to use dedicated software tools (GIS software and specific software for geostatistical data analysis).
Lectures illustrates the typical tools and approaches of precision agriculture, introducing the theory on statistical analysis of spatial variability of data (i.e., geostatistics), and the tools for describing and modeling the spatial variability of quantities of agronomic interest (physical and hydrological soil parameters, crop parameters, etc.), and their application in precision agriculture to produce prescription maps for irrigation and fertilization.
Specifically, lectures cover the following topics (4.5 CFUs):
- innovative precision agriculture approaches to monitor the soil/crop system variability and manage agronomic inputs (i.e. water and nutrients)
- speditive techniques for proximal sensing of soils and vegetation
- theoretical elements of geostatistics:
- statistical analysis of a spatially distributed data sample
- stationarity properties of a quantity with spatial variability
- experimental variogram
- modeling spatial variability using variogram
- interpolation of spatially distributed data: kriging
- statistical tools to produce thematic maps and prescription maps
- presentation of some case studies
The tutorial hours (0.5 CFU) are devoted to the introduction and description of software tools for the analysis and representation of spatial variability of spatially distributed data (GIS, and specific software for geostatistical analysis).
Practical hours (1 CFU) take place in the computer classroom and focuse on the use of QGis, GSTAT and GeoR software (R-Studio environment)
The program is the same for attending and nonattending students
4.5 CFU (36 hours) of face-to-face lectures, 0.5 CFU (8 hours) of tutorials, and 1 CFU (16 hours) of computer classroom tutorials to use dedicated software tools (GIS software and specific software for geostatistical data analysis).
Lectures illustrates the typical tools and approaches of precision agriculture, introducing the theory on statistical analysis of spatial variability of data (i.e., geostatistics), and the tools for describing and modeling the spatial variability of quantities of agronomic interest (physical and hydrological soil parameters, crop parameters, etc.), and their application in precision agriculture to produce prescription maps for irrigation and fertilization.
Specifically, lectures cover the following topics (4.5 CFUs):
- innovative precision agriculture approaches to monitor the soil/crop system variability and manage agronomic inputs (i.e. water and nutrients)
- speditive techniques for proximal sensing of soils and vegetation
- theoretical elements of geostatistics:
- statistical analysis of a spatially distributed data sample
- stationarity properties of a quantity with spatial variability
- experimental variogram
- modeling spatial variability using variogram
- interpolation of spatially distributed data: kriging
- statistical tools to produce thematic maps and prescription maps
- presentation of some case studies
The tutorial hours (0.5 CFU) are devoted to the introduction and description of software tools for the analysis and representation of spatial variability of spatially distributed data (GIS, and specific software for geostatistical analysis).
Practical hours (1 CFU) take place in the computer classroom and focuse on the use of QGis, GSTAT and GeoR software (R-Studio environment)
The program is the same for attending and nonattending students
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge is required for both attending and non-attending students
Teaching methods
The teaching includes lectures and exercises with dedicated software (delivered in the computer room). Also, some case studies in the field of precision agriculture are presented.
Teaching materials (slides and reference texts) for learning the topics explained in lectures, manuals for using the software, and guidelines for conducting practical exercises are uploaded on the Ariel platform.
Attendance is strongly recommended.
Teaching materials (slides and reference texts) for learning the topics explained in lectures, manuals for using the software, and guidelines for conducting practical exercises are uploaded on the Ariel platform.
Attendance is strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
- Lecture slides
- For each of the following texts, the topics covered in the lectures and the relevant pages are given:
Webster&Oliver, "Geostatistics for Environmental Scientists," Wiley
Oliver, "Geostatistical applications for Precision Agriculture," Springer
Marsily, "Quantitative Hydrogeology," Academic Press Inc.
Isaaks&Srivastava, "An Introduction to Applied Geostatistics," Oxford University Press
- Manuals for the use of QGIS and R-Studio, particularly of the GSTAT and GeoR packages
- Manuals for the exercises conducted in the computer classroom with QGIS and GSTAT and GeoR
Materials are the same for attending and non-attending students
- For each of the following texts, the topics covered in the lectures and the relevant pages are given:
Webster&Oliver, "Geostatistics for Environmental Scientists," Wiley
Oliver, "Geostatistical applications for Precision Agriculture," Springer
Marsily, "Quantitative Hydrogeology," Academic Press Inc.
Isaaks&Srivastava, "An Introduction to Applied Geostatistics," Oxford University Press
- Manuals for the use of QGIS and R-Studio, particularly of the GSTAT and GeoR packages
- Manuals for the exercises conducted in the computer classroom with QGIS and GSTAT and GeoR
Materials are the same for attending and non-attending students
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination consists of a written report in the form of a technical/scientific report and an oral exam. The report is related to the practical exercises carried out in the classroom using QGIS and the GSTAT and GeoR packages for geostatistical analysis and interpolation of a data sample
The candidate is required to submit the written report before the oral examination. Submission of the report is a prerequisite for admission to the oral examination.
The report will be evaluated on the clarity and completeness of the exposition of the applied methodologies and the results obtained. In particular, the candidate's ability to interpret the results obtained will be evaluated.
Beginning with the discussion of the report, the oral examination will include questions related to all topics in the program, to test the level of understanding of the topics covered in the exercise and the ability to apply the knowledge acquired.
The grade is in thirtieths and is a joint evaluation of the paper and the oral examination
The candidate is required to submit the written report before the oral examination. Submission of the report is a prerequisite for admission to the oral examination.
The report will be evaluated on the clarity and completeness of the exposition of the applied methodologies and the results obtained. In particular, the candidate's ability to interpret the results obtained will be evaluated.
Beginning with the discussion of the report, the oral examination will include questions related to all topics in the program, to test the level of understanding of the topics covered in the exercise and the ability to apply the knowledge acquired.
The grade is in thirtieths and is a joint evaluation of the paper and the oral examination
AGR/02 - AGRONOMY AND FIELD CROPS
AGR/08 - AGRICULTURAL HYDRAULICS AND WATERSHED PROTECTION
AGR/08 - AGRICULTURAL HYDRAULICS AND WATERSHED PROTECTION
Computer room practicals: 16 hours
Practicals: 8 hours
Lessons: 36 hours
Practicals: 8 hours
Lessons: 36 hours
Professor:
Ortuani Bianca
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment (send the request by e-mail)
DiSAA