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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #143796
Title: A KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR DRYLAND PRO, AN EXPERT SYSTEM FOR MANAGING NONIRRIGATED PEANUT PRODUCTION (COMPUTER SOFTWARE)

Author
item Davidson, James
item Sternitzke, Donald
item Lamb, Marshall
item MCGILL, FRANK - RETIRED AGRONOMIST
item MOSS, ROBERT - RETIRED CONSULTANT
item WILLIAMS, E - UGA

Submitted to: Computer Model: Decision Support System
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2002
Publication Date: 12/18/2002
Citation: no citation for a model.

Interpretive Summary: U.S. peanut farmers need the latest technology to be able to compete on the domestic and world markets. Because of the excessive risk associated with weather, nonirrigated farmers must have the benefit of the latest technology to be able to survive. A comprehensive knowledge base was developed to provide the nonirrigated peanut farmers with the latest information and technology for making management decisions beginning in August of the prior Crop Year and ending at harvest time. The knowledge base also contains flow charts that show the logic for making the best management decisions. These flow charts are being used to develop a computer program, Dryland Pro, for producing nonirrigated peanuts. Dryland Pro provides expert management information to minimize climatic, environmental, and economic risks while maximizing the economic return and enhancement of peanut quality. Management strategies are designed from previous peanut research conducted by state and federal researchers, private companies, and field observations by consultants and technical workers.

Technical Abstract: A knowledge base for managing nonirrigated peanut production was developed by ARS, University and Peanut Industry scientists and several expert farmers and crop consultants. The knowledge base is based upon scientific research and expert knowledge and consists of approximately 80 pages of text and 170 pages of flow charts. The text describes the production inputs (materials, equipment, methods, procedures, and data) needed to optimize management decisions for nine time frames beginning in August of the prior crop year and proceeding to peanut harvest. The text also describes the relationship of the inputs to the outputs (peanut yield, quality, economic returns, and environmental impact). Detail information is provided in the text for optimizing the inputs to maximize the outputs for management of tillage, fertility, weeds, nematodes, diseases, and insects. The flow charts provide the logic for making the management decisions and form the basis for computer programming. The text is an excellent resource for cooperative extension specialists, county agents, and crop consultants. The flow charts are used for developing the computer program and to allow the users to evaluate the logic for recommendations made by the expert system(Dryland Pro). This knowledge base has been validated and shown to minimize the climatic/environmental and economic risks in dryland peanut production while maximizing the economic return and enhancement of peanut quality.