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Fertilizers

Fertilizer management is a critical aspect of modern agriculture, and the Farm Data Model (FDM) provides a comprehensive way to track and manage fertilizer applications.

Defining and Applying Fertilizers​

In FDM, there are two main ways to work with fertilizers:

  1. Using Pre-defined Fertilizers from a Catalogue: FDM includes a fertilizersCatalogue that contains a standardized list of common fertilizers. This catalogue provides information about each fertilizer, including its nutrient content, density, and application methods. When you use a fertilizer from the catalogue, you create a fertilizerPicking record to link your specific fertilizer instance to the catalogue entry.
  2. Defining Custom Fertilizers: If a fertilizer is not in the catalogue, you can define a custom one by creating a new entry in the fertilizers table. Storing specific nutrient analysis for custom fertilizers is a planned feature and not yet implemented. This is particularly useful for manure and other organic fertilizers, which can have highly variable nutrient content.

When you apply a fertilizer to a Field, you create a fertilizer application action. This action is stored in the fertilizerApplication table and records:

  • p_app_id: A unique identifier for the application event.
  • b_id: The ID of the Field where the fertilizer was applied.
  • p_id: The ID of the specific fertilizer instance that was used.
  • p_app_amount: The amount of fertilizer that was applied (typically in kg/ha).
  • p_app_method: The method of application (e.g., broadcasting, injection).
  • p_app_date: The date of the application.

The fertilizersCatalogue​

The fertilizersCatalogue is a key component of the FDM. It provides a structured way to represent fertilizers, which has several benefits:

  • Data Consistency: Using a standardized list of fertilizers helps ensure that data is consistent and comparable across different farms and applications.
  • Reduced Data Entry: By pre-defining common fertilizers, the need for manual data entry is reduced.
  • Facilitates Calculations: The fertilizersCatalogue provides data useful for agronomic calculations, such as nutrient balance and fertilizer recommendations. Each entry in the catalogue contains a detailed breakdown of the fertilizer's composition, including its content of macro and micronutrients.