Coordinated farm and research management (COFARM) data system for soils and crops

ABSTRACT:

A coordinated farm and research management system (COFARM) collects and stores information in a form suitable for making soil-crop management decisions regarding N, P, and K fertilizer needs, manure, tillage, crop residues, soil erosion, drainage, and crop yields. The computer program is user-friendly and operates using a remote terminal or microcomputer. Farmers, extension agents, and researchers can use the system and information collected through its use either directly or with an existing submodel or other models. Farmers can use the system to organize and store data for their individual fields, soils, and crops. Farmers also can benefit from management recommendations provided from existing soil-crop simulation models that directly access the data in this system through common block transfers. The program provides researchers with sets of similar data on soils, crops, and yield responses. The farmer-stored data can provide information for research development and support for better management techniques.