Return Information Quality for Post-Harvest Evaluations

As the variety of tools and also solutions making use of accuracy ag data to aide in decision making remains to enhance, the importance of having quality data is likewise enhancing. The majority of producers comprehend the value of return screen calibration for producing accurate yield estimates, but there are other mistakes that can influence both the accuracy and the spatial stability of yield information (in more details - data science in agriculture). Spatial stability of return data ends up being really important when being used to producing prescriptions for plant food and also seeding. Spatial inaccuracies in yield data end up being a trouble when utilizing return maps to develop management zones as well as succeeding input choices by area within an area. Taking the time to assess high quality and also eliminating erroneous information ensures prescriptions and also various other maps based off return data are correct.

When processing return information this winter months, some errors to be mindful of include: header height setup, fast stop-start errors, flow delay setting, as well as header/ system width setup. Each of these mistakes will certainly result in incorrect yield approximates influencing maps developed from return maps. The following outlines some of the prospective errors:

Inaccurate header elevation setup

A wrong header elevation setting can lead to information being gathered when the integrate is not collecting the plant. This error usually leads to low or no return worths being gathered in cliff or point-row locations while the combine is turning. If this error is not acknowledged as well as attended to, the return approximates for areas that consist of cliff locations will certainly be underestimated due to additional acreage being gauged with little or no additional crop noticed. Figure offers a picture where the addition of the turning data would ignore yield in these areas. It is suggested the turning data be removed before any zone or spatial analyses be conducted.

Number 1. Wrong header elevation establishing causing information collection in cliff switching.

Quick Start-Stop Errors

The precision of the return display calibration depends upon constant circulation of material with the combine. Sudden changes ground speed (accelerating or deaccelerating) result in areas where return price quotes are incorrect. Usually return is overstated where the abrupt quit happened and after that ignored up until the material circulation through the combine has time to ramp back up. Figure 2 illustrates three areas where the combine was stopped promptly throughout soybean harvest. These data do represent the actual return around and also must be eliminated.

Figure 2. Red yield points in the return map show locations where the integrate stopped and then restarted during soybean harvest. Removing the stop-start error in facility of this map and afterwards inserting to a grid alters the 50x50 ft grid value for this place by 23 bu/ac (soybean return).

Circulation Delay setting

When the flow hold-up setup is incorrect, it will result in each mass flow estimate being credited to the incorrect place in the field. This triggers not only a spatial mistake, yet likewise a miscalculation of yield when the incorporate's rate is altering. This error is often easiest to detect around the boundary of the field on the yield map, as received Number 3. It is very important to note that the data is offset for the whole size of the field and not just at the sides.

Figure 3. The characteristic zig-zag pattern developed when the circulation delay setting is incorrect.

Header size mistake

Having a precise estimate of the location being collected is crucial to having precise yield price quotes. A common trouble occurs when the corn or platform header is not being run at complete capacity and the header size setting is not updated to mirror that in the return display. When this takes place, the amount of crop approximated is split over a larger area than actually harvested causing an underestimation of return. These errors most commonly show up in return maps as straight lines down a pass or in fields with point-rows. One needs to either readjust the harvest size for these points or remove from the map prior to evaluations. Figure 4 presents a partial pass (e.g. partial header size) in soybeans where the header size was readied to full-width generating reduced yield quotes for this pass.