AFFILIATION : Massey University - New Zealand THEME : Utilizing space- and airborne optical remote sensing for mineral and soil mapping SUMMARY Precision agriculture enables to use modern eco-friendly technology (sensors, GPS, data analytics etc.,) that ensures profitability and sustainability while protects the environment. Precision agriculture widely used on arable land and rarely used in grassland area due to presence of complex heterogeneous environment. In a big commercial research programme, we have focused on developing and implementation of precision agriculture practices in grassland area. Initially, soil fertility maps were developed using high spectral and spatial resolution airborne hyperspectral imaging and ancillary data combined with advanced analytical techniques. Based on this information fertilizer will be applied from GPS guided aircraft precisely as per the target requirement identified through the developed technology. This technology significantly improves fertilizer use efficiency and productivity and protects the environment from fertilizer leakage. BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Pullanagari Reddy is a research officer at Massey University, His research focuses on the hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing of vegetation, soil and food, the geographic Information Systems (GIS) for resource management and exploring data mining techniques for analysing high dimensional data.