Study: Robotic Sampling Increases Value of Soil Data

Sampling The Same Field Multiple Times/Day

Study Details

Types of Sampling Error Analyzed

Note: This was with an earlier version of our robot. Newer versions are built onto a Kubota and are even more accurate.

We Sampled The Same Field 3x Times with Hand Probes, & ROGO

These measurements include the TOTAL error, from BOTH labs and sample extraction

	Hand Probes	ROGO
Avg Variation Between Trials – Lime lbs/ac	42%	13%
Avg Variation Between Trials – P lbs/ac	22%	7%
Avg Variation Between Trials – K lbs/ac	20%	13%
Across All:	28%	11%

54% of samples will be the same with both methods. Presumably, both got most of these correct, and a few wrong
46% of samples will be different, where ROGO samples are more accurate than hand samples
- 23% of hand samples will be artificially low, resulting in unnecessary fertilizer application
- 23% of hand samples will be artificially high, resulting in underperforming acres

Using ROGO effectively moves fertilizer from the overapplied to underapplied acres.

By improving the productivity of the acres that would have been underapplied, ROGO can create a 5% yield boost within a year
This creates an average of 1.2% yield increase across all acres
This benefit compounds when samples are used for multiple years