The seven color image above shows a classified image
of a small cotton field in North Alabama. The grower had changed
from an old sprayer to a John Deere 4710. This sprayer was set up
to strattle 4 rows of cotton versus two with the old sprayer. The
driver had to adjust to the new sprayer and in the process damaged
some of the cotton in the field early in the season.
The first picture from the top shows
one wheel track of the sprayer. To the left, four rows over, is
the other wheel track. Driving over the cotton plants early in the
season has caused the plants to be behind in growth compared to
the other cotton plants. The
second picture from the top shows the end rows of the field. The
picture is taken S-SE. Obviously in the end rows cotton plants
will be damaged because of the sprayer turning around into the
next lane. However, additional rows were damaged.
The third picture shows the damaged plants in
the first lane of the sprayer in this field. Obviously this was a
weaker area in the field, but the sprayer has damaged quite a bit
of these plants too. Even
though the damage took place early in the season, the cotton will
not be able to fully recover or compensate for the damage caused
by the sprayer. Obviously, this damage is going to result in
reduced yields. The problem
presented above is relative easy to catch in the field. However,
other problems relating to fertilizers, nematodes, spreader
buggies, diseases, etc..., are easier to catch when a grower can
look at a complete set of classified images of all his fields. It
will give the grower the opportunity to see big patterns without
having to rely on scouts or spend the time in the field. It can
reduce time and increase efficiency for the grower. He can catch
much easier problems that effect multiple fields. It will also be
much easier to the grower to evaluate management decisions he has
taken in the past and adjust future crop management decisions.
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