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click for larger picture		OMP GIS maps
Topographical map of PNG Zooming in on an estate Estate map with blocks, drainage, road and pome irrigation layers shown A block area map showing block boundaries Block map showing yield (t/ha) for year 2000 using data from OMP. Inlet shows additional data for a specific block Block map showing leaf N levels for year 2000 using data from OMP

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Once a set of digital estate block maps has been prepared, a GIS system can be established to maintain map series on any agronomic or management parameter that is recorded in OMP.

OMP links seamlessly with industry standard mapping software programs such as ArcView and Map Info. Agrisoft technical personnel will assist users to implement this option if required.

Scroll down for more examples of OMP-GIS solutions:

Yield

Almost all management decisions relate to yield and the effects that environment or management decisions have on achieving maximum yield productivity.

Using OMP-GIS managers can map block yield on a monthly or annual basis, and compare current yields to previous months or years.

Yield analysis maps can be produced. Examples include: Examination of whether yield variations were due to changes in bunch weight or bunch numbers per palm. Was the yield variation due to different palm ages or different planting materials? By using the analysis, reporting and GIS capabilities of OMP-GIS managers can conduct thorough yield analyses on their estates.

Nutrition

Nutritional status of palm blocks, amounts of fertilisers applied and nutrient efficiencies can be mapped using OMP-GIS. Yield maps can be used as overlays or mapped alongside the nutrient maps to examine relationships between palm nutrition and yield.

Palm blocks that have foliar nutrient levels below thresholds can be clearly identified on the maps and managers can then examine these blocks more closely. Using annual leaf nutrient maps and applied nutrient maps in an annual series, agronomists can see whether fertiliser applications are effective.

Fertilisers often account for more that 50% of estate operating expenses, so optimum palm nutrition and efficient fertiliser usage are key management considerations.

Harvester productivity

Use OMP-GIS to examine harvester productivity (t FFB/md) in different palm blocks. These could then be compared to yield, topography, drainage, ground conditions and other factors which may affect the harvesters ability to extract the crop efficiently.

Planting progress and palm ages

During development or expansion phases, the areas that have been planted can be mapped regularly to monitor progress. Palm age distribution can be compared to yield to show contribution of each block to estate productivity.

Palm stand

Annual palm census data for each block is stored in OMP to monitor numbers of mature, immature, supply, missing or dead palms. Unplantable areas are also recorded. Maps can illustrate blocks where there have been significant palm losses, or the level of supply planting during the development phase. For example: Palm stand maps can be used as overlays with yield and disease maps to examine effects on yield and whether disease incidence is a major contributing factor to the palm losses.

Environment

OMP includes environmental monitoring data such as erosion, ground cover, land clearing methods and many more. These can be monitored by management to ensure that responsible environmental practices are being implemented on the estate. Using OMP-GIS managers can map block environmental status and then compare individual parameters (e.g. erosion) to yield. In almost all cases, these maps will demonstrate that best practice management pays off!

Pests and diseases

Outbreaks of pests are monitored in OMP and can be mapped to show where the outbreak started and how the infestation spread. This information could be compared to ground conditions - Was the outbreak because there was insufficient soft weeds present to encourage biological control agents? A series of historical maps will show whether infestations repeatedly occur in the same blocks.

Similarly, data on disease occurrence from OMP can be presented in reports and then mapped to examine incidence, spread and effects on yield. Comparisons can be made between disease incidence and planting material, or soil type or any other parameter that is stored in OMP. Is a particular planting material more susceptible to Ganoderma?

Detailed point-to-point (individual palm) pest and disease maps can also be incorporated into the OMP-GIS system as overlays to further enhance the analysis.

Permanent features

Palm block features such as soil type, topography, altitude, previous land use can be mapped and then used as overlays to examine yield, disease incidence and other data from OMP.

Other maps

Often, estates have been using GPS loggers to map other features or management information in their estates.

A common example would be point-to-point monitoring of Ganoderma. Once the estate has implemented OMP-GIS they may want to examine this historical data compared to soil type, yield or planting material (or any other parameter from OMP). Often, once the detailed GPS data is used as an overlay, clear relationships to location, yield, planting material or another parameter emerge. Comparisons such as this often reveal significantly more information than the point-to-point maps alone show.

Other examples of detailed maps that can be incorporated into the OMP-GIS include:

• Detailed topographic mapping (e.g. contours)
• Potential planting areas
• Public and estate roads
• Airstrips, loading areas and estate access points
• Rivers, streams and other natural waterways
• Palm block and estate drainage (i.e. drains, culverts, bridges)
• Cities and townships
• Villages and garden areas
• Industrial areas and mill sites
• Cultural sites (e.g. burial areas)
• Environmentally sensitive areas and buffer zones.

Provided the maps are correctly scaled and geo-referenced, they can be imported to add to the suite of management maps that are produced using OMP-GIS.

Agrisoft can provide full support to set up OMP-GIS and import external digital maps.

Note: Sometimes this is not possible because non-standard mapping software or methods have been used to prepare the original point-to-point or other maps.

Other Information

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