PRECISION FARMING TO IMPROVE NITROGEN FERTILIZATION IN BORRETTANA ONION OPEN FIELDS THROUGH EVALUATION OF TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIABILITY

This thesis offers a comprehensive comparative analysis of different quantities and timing of distribution of N fertilizer in open-field Borettana onion cultivation. Appropriate N fertilizer management requires knowledge about a crop’s demand and the time it is needed. Using the collected data from the past 3 years (crop biomass production, growth patterns, and soil N dynamics) different relationships were obtained that relate crop nutrient requirements with field conditions in order to estimate the time and variable rate N fertilizer on the field according to precision farming concepts. The analysis was conducted on nitrogen content into the biomass in different locations at different time along the productive year, also the content of crop’s available nitrogen into the soil was evaluated. The crop cycle was followed utilizing multispectral UAV imaging, which provided NDVI maps in different time steps. The experimental design employed was completely randomized block design, utilizing four treatment levels for nitrogen fertilizer application rates as comparison. By synthesizing empirical observations, remote sensing data from unmanned aerial vehicle, and analytical methodologies, the study provides a valuable resource for informed decision-making in precision farming practices. The result of the project is an algorithm as a support system for the farmer, and quantification of biomass and nutrient use efficiency to combine agronomic performance along with environmental benefits.