Soil properties are of the most important factors in crop management, as they directly affect plant growth, yield and quality of the final product. Traditionally soil is managed uniformly, not taking account of the field variability. This leads to over-application or under-application depending on the specific properties and needs of each part of the field. Following the concept of Precision Agriculture, fields can be managed at sub-field level based on the spatial variability of field properties. However, managing field variability can be puzzling to most farmers and farm managers.

The SIMS project fosters to simplify the procedures of precision agriculture making it accessible to farmers and farm managers. Within the framework of SIMS an automated system is developed for mapping and processing of soil parameters. It works as a decision support system, optimizing soil management (soil preparation, cultivation, etc.) and crop management (fertilization, irrigation, etc.). An Android-based smart application is also being developed as a portable version of SIMS platform. It will also work as a tool to navigate the user to the soil sampling locations for targeted soil sampling.

Expected results:

1. Through optimized management, the system aims to reduce inputs (fertilizers, irrigation water, fuel, etc.) increasing the economic sustainability and reducing the environmental footprint of agricultural activities.
2. The project strives to raise awareness and promote a wider acceptance of innovative agricultural sensor methods and cutting-edge technologies, contributing to the modernization of agricultural production methods that will lead to the agriculture of the future.