Source: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
PARTNERSHIP: GROWING PRECISION ENGINEERING SYSTEMS FOR MUSCADINE GRAPE VINEYARDS AND WATER MANAGEMENT (GPES)
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031015
Grant No.
2023-69017-40560
Cumulative Award Amt.
$760,000.00
Proposal No.
2022-11512
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jul 1, 2023
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2026
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[A1551]- Engineering for for Precision Water and Crop Management
Recipient Organization
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
TALLAHASSEE,FL 32307
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The overall goal of this proposed project is to grow precision engineering systems of near real-time monitoring for muscadine grape vineyards and water management (GPES) by piloting the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research as testbeds for deploying advanced engineering technologies; and to enable stakeholders, especially underserved African American growers to observe, learn, and test the continuous improvement processes for vineyards' sustainability (e.g., canopy health, water use efficiency, disease sensing, and environmental friendly) and to evaluate how testbed management practices may affect growers' technology adoption behaviors; and to engage minority African American students in experiential learning experiences to train students for precision vineyards and water management of the future.This proposal addresses A1551 program area priority focuses on engineered devices, technologies, sensors, and tools to provide precision crop and orchard management, technologies for targeted application of crop protection materials, and improve efficiency of irrigation and nutrient use in agricultural systems. Specifically, it addresses the A1551 priority areas a, b, c, d, and f 1). As an integrated project, this proposed project will make precision agriculture tools and technology more accessible by extension and education, particularly to the African American growers and students, will engage HBCU that are currently underrepresented, and will develop precision agriculture platforms and training activities tailored to multiple scientific communities and different career stages within A1551.
Animal Health Component
55%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
5%
Applied
55%
Developmental
40%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1111131202020%
4020210202020%
9036099202040%
1020199202020%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water; 903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery; 402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
1131 - Wine grapes; 0210 - Water resources; 6099 - People and communities, general/other; 0199 - Soil and land, general;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of this proposed project is to grow precision engineering systems of near real-time monitoring for muscadine grape vineyards and water management (GPES) by piloting the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research as testbeds for deploying advanced engineering technologies; and to enable stakeholders, especially underserved African American growers to observe, learn, and test the continuous improvement processes for vineyards' sustainability (e.g., canopy health, water use efficiency, disease sensing, and environmentally friendly) and to evaluate how testbed management practices may affect growers' technology adoption behaviors; and to engage minority African American students in experiential learning experiences to train students for precision vineyards and water management of the future.To accomplish the overarching goal of the proposed GPES project, our specific objectives are to:Objective 1: Create a precision engineering systems demonstration test site to implement, discover, and test advanced technology solutions for Muscadine grape vineyards of water management and disease sensing.Objective 2: Assess GPES testbed practices to evaluate impacts on the growers' technology adoption behaviors and vineyards sustainability.Objective 3: Promote effective GPES technologies and practices to diverse audiences of stakeholders, educators, and learners especially underserved African American farmers through innovative, interactive Extension programs and evaluate the effectiveness of Extension program learning strategies.Objective 4: Engage minority African American students in experiential learning experiences to train students for precision vineyards and water management of the future.
Project Methods
Objective 1:1.1Deploy IoT sensors with network communicationsThe proposed project will be carried out in 2023-2026 growing seasons at 9 selected grapevines' location (2 red varieties: 'Noble' and 'Floriana' and 1 white variety: A-27-10; 3×3 replicates) at the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research (CVSFR). At each grapevine, all descriptive data and sensor data will be collected through PLAN online portal. Those descriptive data including management data such as variety, planting/harvesting date, fertilizer applications, soil type, total nitrogen application, etc will be collected every year at each location. A METOS weather stations with suite of sensors will be installed at each field which include a multi-layer Sentek (Sentek sensor Technologies, Australia) soil moisture probe to measure volumetric water content at depth of 8", 16", and 24", a rain gauge, a RH and temperature sensor, a leaf wetness sensor, and edge-computing sensor node CanopyCAM on ground to capture top view grapevine canopy (1.5 m above top view canopy).1.2Normalize numerical data for comparing across different sites despite potential heterogeneities at each farm-fieldFor volumetric water content (VWC) data, the absolute values of VWC might be difficult to compare across different fields due to possible variation in soil types. Even within same field, VWC can be different due to natural and manmade spatial inconsistencies (Lo et al., 2020). The irrigation amount can also be hard to compare across different fields, especially for fields that are far apart enough to have different weather conditions and crop water requirement. To solve this issue, we propose to normalize several variables so it can be compared across different fields.1.3 Development of angular leaf spot in muscadine grapevines canopy from images and predictions of disease occurrence and management practices using machine learning model.The infection degree of disease for the angular leaf spot management tool and the image detection algorithm using clustering will be developed. The algorithm will be implemented on the Raspberry Pi for the estimation of grapevine canopy cover, disease occurrence, and disease rate simultaneously. Weather parameters, agronomy management practices, precipitation, irrigation amount, DI, SI, grapevine canopy cover, disease occurrence, and disease rate will provide a foundation for offline baseline design. Using the 3 years collected data from the CVSFR and collaborating stakeholders, we can create multiple models representing different operating conditions.Objective 2:2.1Growers' technology adoption behaviorsWe will design a choice experiment survey (1) information will be collected on growers' attitudes towards innovative technologies, their willingness to embrace change and new experiences, ability to withstand income losses to their operations, and risk and time preferences; (2) data will also be gathered on the frequency and format in which (such as text, charts, and figures or with numbers) grape growers prefer to receive information about new technologies through real time feedback over the internet. The choice experiment-based survey will be conducted in collaboration with the Florida Wine and Grape Growers Association and the Southern Grape Company (see supporting letters) to include 100+ growers from Florida and nearby states (e.g., GA and AL).2.2 Vineyards sustainabilityWe will assess sustainability from the economic perspective. Considering on-farm economics, a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) framework will be conducted to compare the proposed advanced water management decision making tools versus traditional practices to determine which approaches earn growers more profit and under what conditions. Key components of the CBA are annual operation costs (e.g., labor, fertilizer, pesticide, etc.), fixed investment costs (machineries), and revenue (yield, benefit). A survey-based choice experiment will be conducted with a representative samples of Florida grape growers to determine the value of time for growers and a key factor in growers' technology adoption decision making. Cost benefit parameters including the net present value of the assessed technology, the installation and operation costs of the technology, and relevant vineyards routine management costs will be collected and analyzed for 3years.Objective 3:3.1Interactive project dashboard via web applicationWe will establish a real-time monitoring system at the FAMU CVSFR for grape canopy health and irrigation water management. We will establish an interactive GPES website to facilitate participant communication and engagement in annual testbed activities and engage broader audiences interested in GPES activities. The GEPS website development will leverage the existing UNL- FAMU Grapevine and Grape detection work at [phrec-irrigation.com] and CVSFR [cafs.famu.edu/departments-and-centers/research/center-for-viticulture-and-small-fruit-research]. Website will enable visualization of in-season, sensor-based testbed data coupled with analytics to communicate grape canopy health status and soil water status for irrigation water management. We will enhance connectivity with broader audiences via the interactive website as users control notification frequencies on topics they select and communicate with the project team via push notification surveys for continuous improvement of platform content.3.2 Leveraging GPES for clientele annual interactions in testbedsWe will use the products and outcomes from GPES assessments to develop new materials to engage our clientele through existing and new extension programs. Annual FAMU Grape Harvest Festival and Annual FAMU Vineyard and Wine Management Workshop will provide a valuable forum for exchanging ideas and information among groups in the Florida area and help guide interested participants in deploying new technologies to enhance on-farm sustainability and resilience. We will also partner with the Florida Wine and Grape Growers Association and the Southern Grape Company to further extend testbed technologies and practices to broader audiences.3.3 K12 extension educationWe will collaborate with the FAMU 4-H youth development teamto use the products and outcomes from GPES project to develop new materials to train K12 students through FAMU AgriSTEM summer program and FAMU STEM Day.Objective 4:We propose to launch an undergraduate research training program on precision engineering systems for vineyards and water management and disease sensing for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences at FAMU. We will also recruit and train graduate students through the proposed GPES project. Each undergraduate trainee will be a part of a cohort consisting of graduate students, technical staff, and faculty researchers. The interactive testbed at FAMU CVSFR will provide immersive learning opportunities to both undergraduate and graduate students with a focus on digital agriculture applied to vineyard health and water management systems. The trainees will present their work during the monthly progress meetings to the entire team. Formative assessments will include biweekly feedback journals from the trainees to better understand students' perceptions of their own learning from the activities performed in the interactive GPES testbeds. Yearend summative assessments will be performed which will include preparation of summary reports captured as videos and education materials.We also propose to develop and implement precision agriculture engineering systems course modules for FAMU ABE 4034 Remote Sensing in Biological Systems Engineering course and to develop and implement data analytics modules applied to sensor-based water management, disease sensing, and equipment logistics to FAMU ABE 3013 Introduction to Design Analysis course.?

Progress 07/01/23 to 06/30/24

Outputs
Target Audience: Faculty, researchers, postdocs, farm managers, graduate and undergraduate students at Florida A&M University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Researchers nationwide through the ASABE international conference and the FL ASABE annual conference. Tallahassee Community College STEM major students. Grape growers in FL and GA. General public through FAMU Annual Grape Harvest Festival. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The GPES project has provided a range of training and professional development opportunities, including: Hands-On Technical Training: Students and researchers received practical training in the deployment and maintenance of IoT sensors, network communications, and data collection systems. This involved setting up canopy cameras, sensor arrays, and a weather station, giving participants direct experience with cutting-edge agricultural technologies. Data Management and Analytics: The project utilized the PLAN online portal (https://phrec-irrigation.com/#/f/68/dash) for data aggregation and visualization, which provided training opportunities in managing and interpreting real-time data from advanced agricultural technologies. Participants learned how to utilize digital tools for informed decision-making in vineyard management. The project also uses the CyVerse data repository (https://cyverse.org). Research and Analysis Skills: Participants were involved in conducting cost-benefit analyses and assessing the economic sustainability of vineyard operations. This offered them valuable insights into the financial aspects of technology adoption in agriculture, enhancing their analytical skills. Educational Development: The project contributed to curriculum development by implementing course modules on precision engineering systems and data analytics at FAMU's Biological Systems Engineering program. This helped integrate modern agricultural technologies into academic programs, preparing students for future challenges in the field. Experiential Learning and Internships: Through internships and research opportunities at the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research, students gained immersive experiences that bridged theoretical knowledge with practical applications in precision agriculture. Professional Exposure and Networking: Engaging with local stakeholders at events like the Annual FAMU Grape Harvest Festival and presenting at international, national, and regional conferences allowed participants to showcase their work, connect with industry professionals, and gain insights from the broader agricultural community. Extension and Outreach: The project emphasized the promotion of GPES technologies to a diverse audience, including underserved African American farmers. This included innovative extension programs and interactive demonstrations, which not only trained the project participants in outreach and communication but also in adapting technologies to meet the specific needs of local communities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of the GPES project have been disseminated to communities of interest through various channels and methods to ensure broad reach and engagement: Interactive PLAN Website (https://phrec-irrigation.com/#/f/68/dash): An interactive website was developed to provide real-time access to sensor data and analytical results. The website serves as a central hub for stakeholders, including researchers, students, growers, and extension professionals, to view and interact with the data collected from the muscadine grape vineyards. The website includes features such as data visualization, user comments on sensor readings, and notifications for updates, enhancing user engagement and knowledge sharing. Field Days: the project team has organized demonstration exhibitions onprecision engineering systems of near real-time monitoring for muscadine grape vineyards and water management (GPES), providing hands-on demonstrations of GPES technologies atthe Annual FAMU Grape Harvest Festival.During this event, stakeholders were able to interact with project team members, ask questions, and provide feedback on the technologies being implemented. Presentations and Conferences: Conference presentations included detailed explanations of the sensor technologies, data collection methods,preliminary results from the test sites, and students' experiential learning experiences. Engaged minority African American students in experiential learning experiences through internships and research opportunities. These students have not only contributed to the project but also acted as ambassadors, sharing their experiences and knowledge with their peers and communities. Integrated project findings into course modules and classroom instruction at FAMU, ensuring that the next generation of agricultural professionals is well-versed in precision agriculture technologies. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? To develop, refine, and test more deep-learning algorithms for automatic data collection and analysis, enabling precise irrigation and disease management decisions. Growers' Technology Adoption Behaviors: engage with more grape growersto understand growers' attitudes towards innovative technologies, willingness to embrace change, and preferences for receiving information about new technologies. Continue to research the Cost-Benefit Analysis of the vineyard management. To train graduate students and undergraduate students supported by the GPES project. Extension Programs and Stakeholder Engagement: provide more training on theinteractive GPES website to facilitate communication and engagement in testbed activities. The website provides real-time sensor data visualization and allows stakeholders to interact with the project team. to disseminatethe GPES project outcomes and impactsthrough the partnershipwith the Florida Wine and Grape Growers Association and the Southern Grape Company and the FAMU 4H.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Create a precision engineering systems demonstration test site to implement, discover, and test advanced technology solutions for Muscadine grape vineyards of water management and disease sensing. Accomplished: Deployment of IoT Sensors and Network Communications: Nine setups of canopy cameras and sensor arrays, including soil water probes, rain gauges, relative humidity (RH), temperature, and leaf wetness sensors, were installed at the end of February and early March 2024. These installations cover three varieties of Muscadine grapevines (Noble, A-27, and Floriana) at the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research (55 acres). A weather station was installed at the research center to provide continuous monitoring of environmental conditions. Real-time data from these sensors are collected and transmitted using LoRa technology, allowing for long-range, low-power data transmission. Development of Precision Engineering Systems: Implemented the CanopyCAM sensor node for capturing and processing canopy cover images. These images are taken every 20 minutes from 7 AM to 7 PM and processed on-site to estimate canopy cover percentage and disease occurrence. Data Collection and Visualization: Utilized the PLAN online portal (https://phrec-irrigation.com/#/f/68/dash)to aggregate and visualize real-time data from the sensors, making it accessible to researchers, students, and growers for informed decision-making. Objective 2: Assess GPES testbed practices to evaluate impacts on the growers' technology adoption behaviors and vineyards sustainability. Accomplished: Vineyards Sustainability: Initiated thecost-benefit analyses comparing advanced water management decision-making tools versus traditional practices. This analysis helps determine the profitability and sustainability of adopting precision agriculture technologies. Initiated data collectionon operational costs, fixed investment costs, and revenue from vineyards to assess economic sustainability. Objective 3: Promote effective GPES technologies and practices to diverse audiences of stakeholders, educators, and learners, especially underserved African American farmers through innovative, interactive Extension programs, and evaluate the effectiveness of Extension program learning strategies. Accomplished: Engaged local stakeholders through the Annual FAMU Grape Harvest Festival. The project team hasa demonstration exhibition onprecision engineering systems of near real-time monitoring for muscadine grape vineyards and water management (GPES), providing hands-on demonstrations of GPES technologies. Delivered sevenpresentations through international, national, and regionalconferences. Objective 4: Engage minority African American students in experiential learning experiences to train students for precision vineyards and water management of the future. Accomplished: Recruited graduate students and undergraduate students to participate in the GPES research, education, and extension activities, Student Training and Involvement: Provided undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on training in precision agriculture technologies through internships and research opportunities at the FAMU Biological Systems Engineering and FAMUCenter for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research. Developed and implemented course modules on precision engineering systems and data analytics for FAMU's Biological Systems Engineering program. Engaged students in the installation and maintenance of sensor arrays and data collection systems, giving them practical experience in deploying and using advanced agricultural technologies.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jingqiu Chen, Wei-zhen Liang, Violeta Tsolova, Jian Jin. Precision Agriculture and Plant Phenotyping Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges for Research, Teaching, and Extension. Kenya Egerton University Faculty Training Seminar at FAMU CAFS International Agricultural Programs, FL, November 7th, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jingqiu Chen, Wei-zhen Liang, Violeta Tsolova, Jian Jin. Developing Education, Research, and Extension Training on Precision Agriculture Phenotyping Tools at HBCU Communities. 2023 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Annual International Meeting, Omaha, NE, Jul. 9-12, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Shomar Bullen, Wei-zhen Liang, Jingqiu Chen. Experiential Learning on Digital Agriculture and Image Analysis using Machine Learning Techniques. The 2023 FAMU Student Research Forum. October 25th, 2023, Tallahassee, FL. (2nd Place of Graduate Poster Presentation, Engineering/Technology Research Discipline)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Shomar Bullen, Wei-zhen Liang, Violeta Tsolova, Jingqiu Chen. Experiential Learning on Digital Agriculture and Machine Learning Image Analysis. 2024 Florida Section American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Annual Conference, Jensen Beach, FL, Jun. 12-15, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Shomar Bullen, Jingqiu Chen. Experiential Learning on Digital Agriculture and Image Analysis using Machine Learning Techniques. Association of 1890 Research Directors (ARD) Biennial Research Symposium, Nashville, TN, Apr. 6-9, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Jingqiu Chen, Wei-zhen Liang, Jian Jin, Violeta Tsolova. Developing Education, Research, and Extension Training on Precision Agriculture Phenotyping Tools at Muscadine Vineyards. Association of 1890 Research Directors (ARD) Biennial Research Symposium, Nashville, TN, Apr. 6-9, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Jingqiu Chen, Wei-zhen Liang, Xin Qiao, Violeta Tsolova. Developing a Peer Learning Agricultural Network (PLAN) for Muscadine Grape Vineyards in Southeastern U.S. 2024 Florida Section American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Annual Conference, Jensen Beach, FL, Jun. 12-15, 2024.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: https://phrec-irrigation.com/#/f/68/dash