BSEN30210 Precision Agriculture

Academic Year 2024/2025

This module focuses on the principles and theories that underpin the concept of Precision Agriculture. Students will be introduced to the toolbox of technologies (e.g., Absolute and Relative Positioning, PC-Tractor-Implement Communication, Proximal Sensing, Variable Rate Technology, Yield Mapping) that enable Precision Agriculture, and the theory of how they are used to manage spatial and temporal variability of soil and crops. The technologies will be considered in the context of Irish, European and world agriculture, and how they can be best put to use for gaining environmental and economic benefits for farmers. This module integrates gamification in teaching of Precision Agriculture as a new, futuristic learning technique. To this end, students will design, implement and evaluate their own precision agriculture use case using the Farming Simulation video game developed by GIANTS Software.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the module, students should be able to:
- LO1: Reflect on fundamental concepts and principles of precision agriculture technologies.
- LO2: Compare and contrast the functionality of a toolbox of sensor and sensing technologies used in agricultural machinery.
- LO3: Analyse and interpret soil and crop variability data.
- LO4: Advise on how to introduce precision agriculture strategies to a farm.
- LO5: Design, implement and evaluate precision agriculture concepts using the Farming Simulator software.

Indicative Module Content:

The module content is as follows:

1. Introduction to Precision Agriculture (PA)
- Challenges, technologies, requirements and expectations
2. Spatial variability of soils and crop plants
- Understanding variability, measuring principles and visualization
3. On-the-go soil sensors
- Description, assessment and use
4. Absolute and relative Positioning
- GNSS, sensing and sensor fusion
5. PC-Tractor-Implement Communication
- International Standardization, ISOBUS interoperability, with display and terminal demonstrations
6. Variable Rate Technology
- Tillage, sowing, spraying and fertilization
7. Plant Protection
- Basic principles of PA in plant protection (weed control)
8. Harvesting
- Data logging and yield mapping
9. Adoption of PA technologies
- Current status, availability, advantages, limitations and barriers
10. Future Technology
- Precision - Smart - Digital Farming

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Specified Learning Activities

24
Autonomous Student Learning

60
Online Learning

4
Total

112
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
To get the maximum out of this module students should attend all lectures and complete all assignments, reports and presentations. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Exam (Open Book): An online exam will take place at the end of the module n/a Graded No

60
Individual Project: Students design, implement and evaluate their own Precision Agriculture use case on the Farming Simulator software n/a Graded No

30
Assignment(Including Essay): Report on Precision Agriculture use case design n/a Graded No

10

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback individually to students, post-assessment if requested.

Brett Whelan, James Taylor (2013). Precision agriculture for grain production systems.
or
Hermann J. Heege (2013). Precision in Crop Farming.