A Glossary of Terms
For
Precision Farming
Aerial photography - Photos taken from airplanes to assist growers to
determine variations within an area of interest such as a field.
ag consultant - Person trained in agricultural and management sciences to
provide information to land owners/managers for a fee related to the farming
operation.
ag consultant certification - There are 3 types of certification for ag
consultants that are recognized in the US:
1. Certified Crop Advisor (CCA). Administered by the American Society of
Agronomy. Requirements include a high school education, 4 years of
experience, continuing education credits and testing.
2. Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg). Administered by the
American Society of Agronomy. Requirements include a college education,
4 years of experience, continuing education credits and testing.
3. Certified Professional Crop Consultant (CPCC). Administered by the
National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants. Requirements include
a college ag degree, 4 years of experience, continuing education credits
and testing.
algorithm - A finite, ordered set of well-defined rules written as a
computer program to assist in solving a specific problem.
application - A practical use of computer software, an electronic system or
a concept.
applications package - Specialized computer programs and their associated
documentation developed for practical usage. Ideally, applications packages
allow a non-computer specialist to use the computer without learning complex
programming languages.
arc - A line described by an ordered sequence of points associated with
vector data models. When a node joins two or more arcs and several arcs are
linked together in a loop, they form an area or polygon.
archive - The storage of historical records and data. When you have
collected a year or two of data from your precision farming applications,
you have started your own archive.
ASCII - (American Standard Code for Information Interchange). A standard
coding system used to represent alphanumeric characters within a computer.
ASCII files enable the transfer of some data between different computers
through the use of a common set of symbols.
aspect - Horizontal direction in which a slope faces (e.g., a SE facing
slope has an aspect of 135 degrees).
attribute - A numeric and/or text description of a spatial entity (e.g.,
address or owner''s name for a parcel).
attribute value - A value or property that is a characteristic of a spatial
element. For example, a specific symbol or color may represent 150-160
bushels/acre that is a value assigned to that attribute.
base map - The outline of your field with its proper coordinates is your
base map. Data collected within the field by your yield monitor will be
defined in location by the base map, which is a binary digital map.
baud rate - A measure that describes the speed of the transmission of single
digital elements over a communications line. The number indicates how
rapidly data could move through your modem or between a computer and a
printer.
benchmark
1) Used to define how comparisons are to be made between different
computer software or systems according to specific requirements.
2) In surveying, a benchmark is the elevation at a specific point.
bit - An abbreviated term for binary digit, the smallest unit of computer
data.
block kriging - A piecewise form of kriging based on grid cells.
buffer - An area defined by the specified length extended around a point,
line, or area.
byte - A unit of computer storage of binary data usually comprising eight
bits, and equivalent to a character. You will commonly hear computer memory
and storage referred to using terms such as Kilobyte (approximately one
thousand bytes), Megabyte (approximately one million bytes) and Gigabyte
(approximately one billion bytes).
cartography - The art and science of the organization and communication of
geographically related information such as a yield image into maps or
charts. The term will refer to their construction, from data acquisition to
presentation and use.
centroid - The position at the center of a one- or two-dimensional (2D)
entity such as a polygon.
choropleth map - A thematic map such as a yield image where quantitative
spatial data is depicted through the use of shading or color variations of
yield ranges.
computer aided design (CAD) - Software with the capability of performing
standard engineering drawings.
computer aided mapping (CAM) - Software with the capability of generating
standard mapping functions. In contrast to GIS, it can not analyze or
process a database.
contour - A line connecting a set of points, all of which have the same
value. A contour line will show elevations of the same value.
crop scouting - Precise assessments of pest pressure and crop performance
that can be tied to a specific location for better interpretation.
cross tabulation - Comparison by location of attribute data in two or more
map layers.
customization - A procedure which produces an application or company
specific interface and/or database design such as yield mapping software.
For example, a customized version of a commercial yield monitor product may
include menus that allow one to add individual field numbers and other
identifiers into the database.
database - A logical collection of files managed as unit. A GIS database
includes data about both the position and the attributes of geographic
features.
database management system (DBMS) - A collection of software for organizing
the information in a database that might contain routines for data input,
verification, storage, retrieval, and combination.
data input - The entry of information into a computer through the use of a
keyboard, digitizer, scanner, or even entering data from already existing
databases.
data standardization - The process of achieving agreement on common data
definitions, representation, and structures to which all data layers must
conform.
DEM (Digital Elevation Model) - A digital representation of the elevation of
locations on the land surface. A DEM is often used in reference to a set of
elevation values representing the elevations at points in a rectangular grid
on the Earth''s surface. Some definitions expand DEM to include any digital
representation of the land surface, including TIMS or digital contours.
differential correction - correction of the GPS signal to make it more
accurate. An uncorrected signal will be accurate to about 50 yards. A
corrected signal can be accurate to within 1-5 feet. Correction of a signal
is done from a second GPS receiver at a known fixed location. The signal is
then transmitted to the tractor, combine or other equipment that corrects
the proper location through differential processing. There are three common
ways to transmit a correction signal from the base station to the farm
implement:
1. A dedicated transmitter that is located on an existing tower
(Mobile-Data, SatLoc), which has a range of 30-40 miles.
2. A separate, private corporation satellite to send the corrected
signal (SatLoc), which has a range of thousands of miles.
3. Piggyback the correction signal on a commercial FM radio station
frequency (DCI, ACCQPOINT), that has a range of 30-40 miles.
digitizer - A table or tablet which has the capability of digitally
recording the relative position of a cursor which is moved over the area or
line that you want to digitize or record.
DLG (Digital Line Graph) - A US Geological Survey digital map format used to
distribute topographical maps in vector form. The digital files contain
lists of the coordinate points that describe linear map features.
edit - The process of adding, deleting, and changing data/information on a
computer.
expert system - A system designed for solving problems in a particular
application area. One can draw an inference from a stored knowledge base
that was developed by recording and structuring human expertise through an
individual commonly called a knowledge engineer.
extrapolation - A method or technique to extend data or inferences from a
known location to another location for which the values are not known.
feature - A geographic component of the earth''s surface that has both
spatial and attribute data associated with it (e.g., field, well, waterway).
field
1) A set of alphanumeric characters comprising a unit of information.
2) A location in a data record in which a unit of information is stored.
For example, in your database, one of your crops may contain columns of
data such as location #, crop type, variety, date of planting, etc. (all
of which are fields)
3) A specific location on a person''s farm that may be called "Field #
10A"
geocode - A code associated with a spatial element which describes its
location. An example would be a coordinate such as longitude or latitude.
geographic information systems (GIS) - System of computer hardware,
software, and procedures designed to support the compiling, storing,
retrieving, analyzing and displaying of spatially referenced data for
addressing planning and management problems.
georeference system - A coordinate system keeping track of specific points
on the Earth''s surface. Examples of such a system are the Universal
Transverse Mercator system (UTM) and the State Plane Coordinate System.
grid - A data structure that uses rectangular units or grid cells arranged
in rows and columns to represent an area like a field.
grid mapping - Predetermined locations in a field where soil or plant
samples may be obtained for analysis. The test information can be used for
assessing ...
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