Zonal or grid-based selection?

Which method of soil sampling is better, zone or grid? What data should be used to allocate zones?

Today, there is no consensus among farmers on how to sample for precision agriculture. There are two camps, the first is the grid supporters, the second is the zone sampling supporters.

With grid sampling, everything is simple: you choose the optimal grid size for your economic and technical capabilities, according to which you want to do precision farming, put it on the field contour and work.

With the grid, everything is simple: you choose the optimal grid size for your economic and technical capabilities, on which you want to do precision farming, apply it to the contour of the field and work. The most accurate grid size is up to 2 hectares.

The most effective strategy, in our opinion, consists of the following:

• First, you need to do an initial analysis of the field on a 1-ha or 2-ha grid
• Secondly, to level the field by nutrient content based on the recommendations after the soil analysis
• Thirdly, it is to map the yield for the next year to record the effectiveness of differential fertilization and the yield obtained
• Finally, having all of the above data, analyze all available maps and identify areas where you will periodically check the soil condition.

Below is an example in which the yield map is overlaid with the 1-hectare grid and zone selection maps.