Delineation of stable within-field management zones based on remote sensing for precision crop production management: a case study from the forest-steppe zone of European Russia
Rubrics: LAND RELATIONS AND LAND MANAGEMENT
Type:
Article
Pages:
from 469
to 474
Status:
In work
Received:
15.08.2026
Accepted:
15.08.2026
Published:
15.08.2026
Language:
Russian
Keywords:
precision agriculture, remote sensing, ASF-index, within-field zones, bare soil surface, multitemporal soil line, variable-rate fertilization, variable-rate seeding
Abstract:
The article presents an approach to delineating stable within-field management zones based on multi-temporal remote sensing data, soil-landscape verification and farm-scale trials. The study was carried out on arable land of the Biryukov farm in the Bazarno-Karabulak district of the Saratov region in 2021–2025. The methodology included processing Landsat and Sentinel-2 data, constructing a stable within-field soil fertility heterogeneity map based on the ASF-index, using a bare soil surface map based on the C coefficient of the multitemporal soil line, soil-landscape survey, agrochemical verification and generation of prescription maps. The results showed that stable within-field zones differed not only in production potential but also in their response to technological inputs. Farm-scale trials confirmed that increasing or decreasing urea-ammonium nitrate and seeding rates was economically justified only when the fertility zone, crop and limiting factors were taken into account. Prescription maps showed the possibility of saving maize seed by 7.25–14.01%, sunflower seed by 10.65–14.35%, and redistributing fertilizers between zones without a significant change in total application volume. The proposed approach makes it possible to move from average field-level management to management of stable within-field zones, while yield measurements provide feedback for further adjustment of rates and refinement of zone ratings.
The article presents an approach to delineating stable within-field management zones based on multi-temporal remote sensing data, soil-landscape verification and farm-scale trials. The study was carried out on arable land of the Biryukov farm in the Bazarno-Karabulak district of the Saratov region in 2021–2025. The methodology included processing Landsat and Sentinel-2 data, constructing a stable within-field soil fertility heterogeneity map based on the ASF-index, using a bare soil surface map based on the C coefficient of the multitemporal soil line, soil-landscape survey, agrochemical verification and generation of prescription maps. The results showed that stable within-field zones differed not only in production potential but also in their response to technological inputs. Farm-scale trials confirmed that increasing or decreasing urea-ammonium nitrate and seeding rates was economically justified only when the fertility zone, crop and limiting factors were taken into account. Prescription maps showed the possibility of saving maize seed by 7.25–14.01%, sunflower seed by 10.65–14.35%, and redistributing fertilizers between zones without a significant change in total application volume. The proposed approach makes it possible to move from average field-level management to management of stable within-field zones, while yield measurements provide feedback for further adjustment of rates and refinement of zone ratings.
Keywords:
precision agriculture, remote sensing, ASF-index, within-field zones, bare soil surface, multitemporal soil line, variable-rate fertilization, variable-rate seeding
precision agriculture, remote sensing, ASF-index, within-field zones, bare soil surface, multitemporal soil line, variable-rate fertilization, variable-rate seeding
