Soil data needs for agronomists Achim Dobermann

Global Soil Partnership, Rome

March 20-23, 2012

Soil information is the weakest link in agriculture and many

other sectors.

Soil Use and Management 12 (1996), 33-43

We can do better than that

Mean 64.0 Min 27.0 Max 87.9 CV% 18.4 RMSE 9.8 RI (%) 19.7

Mg C/ha

15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 95

Final C map

C=100-1.2EC-5.2REF-0.6REF2-2.1EL C predicted for sampled locations

C predicted for all grid locations Residuals

Kriging

Regression model

Megatrends in agriculture

Productivity & efficiency increase Skillful, precise agriculture Integration of value chains

Connection to health Multiple objectives

Interactive knowledge

R. Rabbinge, WUR

• To develop a set of global standards for best practices of sustainable rice production (global rice GAP)

• To develop quantifiable sustainability targets • To develop and promote decision-support tools (such as

Field or footprint Calculators) • To promote the adoption of best practices and

sustainability criteria

Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)

Soil data products for agriculture 1. Digital soil information for decisions makers (policy

makers, investors) – Basic soil maps and thematic layers, derived products – Accurate, easy to understand, not too old – Interpretation, custom analysis & evaluating options

2. Digital soil information for field agronomists & farmers – Customer-oriented, demand-driven soil data & services – Fine resolution, up to date, valid, usable – Accessible , customizable for own apps

3. Soil data & monitoring systems for scientists – Explore implications of our current and future actions? – New methodologies – breakthroughs – Detailed, raw

Who has useful soil data? National soil survey organizations

Other ministries Universities

Soil testing labs Individual scientists

Companies International organizations

NGOs Farmers

Owners & users of satellite data Military, intelligence services

....

We have a lot more than we know

Nobody can claim to have it all or to own it all

What is the value of a 50-year old soil profile?

The real value lies in interpretation & use

Share what you have to fill the big gaps

Not every use has to be free

Treaty mechanism for sharing benefits?

Who do we need to reach with all that information and how?

Web GSM mobile phone

Smartphonee

Interactive Voice Response

implementation box

Farmer calls 2378 using Globe SIM

Smartphone output

Web output

SMS output

Spatial soil and other information can be interfaced with the ‘calculator’

Model on cloud server

Output

Input: Information from farmer

Database with attainable yield based on historical climate data

Spatial soils information geo referenced to farmer’s location Soil nutrient supply Soil nutrient reserves Soil constraints

Suite of compelling services and financial products

Microfinance Service

providers

Insurance

Marketing Input providers

Connect farmers with relevant agricultural science and services

Interactive Apps --- providing management guidelines

1. Invest wisely at start of season - Crop Manager

2. Protect investment during season

- Crop Doctor

Requires a solid business approach

How can we use new technologies to improve soil

information?

Nipponbare

93-11

IR 64 underway

DJ 123 underway

Global rice genetic diversity map

2012: 2000 lines 1 M SNPs 4000 whole genomes

IRRI (60%) Cirad (14%)

ARC/Cornell (12%) CIAT (8%)

Embrapa (6%)

2005: 2252 lines 44 SSR markers

From Feuillet et al. 2011. Crop genome sequencing: lessons and rationales. Trends in Pl Sci. 16:77-88.

Rice genome sequencing already has impact but much more can be done in scale and scope

What’s slowing us soil scientists down?

Lack of access to useful data

Insufficient validation

Not enough breakthrough technologies

Disagreements, lack of harmonization

IP uncertainties

Lack of incentives

Fragmentation, lack of critical mass

Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, China

Reach out more

Fill the biggest gaps first

Don’t get bogged down in technicalities

Keep GSP simple and focused

Thank you