What are productivity zones and why do you need to define them?

To assess field homogeneity. In a heterogeneous field, productivity varies greatly from plot to plot. There might be a consistently high yield in one part of the field and a consistently low one in the other part. The heterogeneous field is more profitable when variable-rate technology is applied than when it’s not.

To implement variable-rate technology. Low and high productivity zones will react differently to the same seeding or fertilizer rate. By examining the patterns and using variable seeding and fertilizer rates, you can save on resources and increase yield.

To identify problems in the field. If you know which part of the field has low yield from year to year, you’ll know which area requires more attention. You may also be able to eliminate the reason for low yield faster.

The traditional way. Analyze several seasons of harvest history and determine where the productivity zones are. This method comes with a few difficulties. First, it’s not always possible to recover harvest data. Secondly, the combine harvesters need to be calibrated correctly to get reliable data. That’s not an easy task, either.

The OneSoil solution. We identify productivity zones based on vegetation index (NDVI) data for the last four years. From 2014 to 2018, we conducted a large-scale experiment with a dozen friendly farms in Western Europe and the CIS in which we compared several years of NDVI images and harvest data for fields covering a total area of 40,000 hectares. Using machine learning algorithms, we found a correlation in the data. We then learned how to model relative yield values. This means that we can harness our algorithms to calculate how much more productive a given part of the field is than another one. NDVI data lets us do that.

All you need to do to identify productivity zones in your field is to sign up in the OneSoil web app and select your fields on the map.

There are three main scenarios for using productivity zones: fertilizer application, sowing, and soil sampling. Let's take a look at how we go about defining productivity zones using the OneSoil web app as an example.

Defining productivity zones. No matter what fieldwork you need to conduct, open the Fertilizers or Sowing rate tabs in the OneSoil web app. Select your field on the map. The app will process NDVI data for the last four years and display a productivity zone map.

If you need to conduct a soil analysis, use this map to take soil samples for each productivity zone. Our team is currently working on a separate tool for that. We'll let you know in our blog as soon as the tool is ready.

If you're planning on applying fertilizer or seeding, start by examining low productivity areas. We suggest reviewing these areas to determine the factors that limit their yield. Based on our experience, it's easier to start by analyzing the relief and soil brightness, the latter of which gives insights into organic nutrient content. Eliminate the limiting factor, if possible. After that, you can move onto the fieldwork.

What is variable-rate fertilizer application and how to start applying it in your field

Can you increase crop yield using variable-rate seeding? Read about our experiment with sunflowers in chernozem soil

How do different hybrids respond to variable-rate seeding? Explore our experiment with corn hybrids