National paddock monitoring project: Yield mapping data requirements

  1. Historical yield mapping– this is NOT a binding agreement – CSIRO are able to undertake a full analysis for at least one farm per consultant (this is worth doing!).
  2. Yield mapping during the project – this IS a binding agreement – at the end of each season send the yield maps as .csv files to CSIRO. Note: we appreciate that it is not possible to guarantee a yield map for each season (harvest problems etc.) – however it is essential data and every one should endeavour to get a yield map for each monitoring season. Also see notes from our meeting in Melbourne.

Send Yield Maps to: Roger Lawes ()
Subject heading: National Paddock Survey yield map

File format: CSV

  • One file per paddock, year and crop type
  • Clipped to paddock boundaries (ie. no data from outside the paddock of interest)
  • The data should be in x,y,z format where x and y are coordinates and z is yield in t/ha. Other data columns may be included, but these 3 must be there. No data files with yield reported in terms of flow rate only please.
  • GPS date/time stamp to be retained in the yield monitor data (for each paddock)
  • IF you cannot get a .csv file (ie. you don’t have access to software) you will need to copy the data files from the growers header cards andring me to discuss

Details requested with each file:

  • Your name
  • Farm name
  • Paddock name/id
  • Crop type and cultivar
  • Year / harvest date
  • Paddock total tonnes as recorded by the silo
  • Other relevant details, for example:
  • What processing has been applied to the data. Is it raw yield monitor outputs, or has it been loaded and exported from a farm management software package? Our preference is for data exported from the yield monitoring software in x, y, z format (as above)
  • If the yield monitoring has been split over two time periods, or changes (e.g. re-calibration of the yield monitor) during harvest of the paddock
  • Is the same crop/cultivar grown over the entire paddock
  • Any other factors (e.g. block or fenceline changes, past trials) which might lead to variations across the paddock

Optional:

  • GPS accuracy (e.g. RTK, differential or autonomous/standard) - could be supplied as figure e.g. +/- 5 cm, +/- 0.5 m
  • Harvester swath width
  • Paddock boundaries – GPS’d boundary with indication of when, how (e.g. what sort of GPS accuracy), and whether this is a fenceline or edge of crop boundary.

Harm van Rees and Roger Lawes

16/12/2014