Developing geostatistical mapping tools for precision farming of rice

A GIS program, PFmap, was developed with Visual Basic and ArcObjects as an ArcGIS extension to aid the precision farming of rice in Malaysia. The software module accepts soil data as input and provides easy to use action maps. The first module of this system is an interpolation procedure based on interpolation of soil electrical conductivity. The second module is an application for mapping based on fertilizer recommendation. The program is customizable for all inputs. It is also designed to provide statistics for fertilizer application. The main output is customized and ready to utilise labelled maps for fertilizer and chemical application in rice farming in Malaysia. The algorithm has the potential to be used for other crops and plantations that adopt variable rate technology. PFmap has been successfully adopted by two plantations in Malaysia and is in the process of adaptation by other plantations. A case study showed that the recommendation by this program can provide benefits in terms of yield, economy and environment.