Development of a geolocation based data collection system for agricultural management decisions and mapping with GIS

The tractor is a power source for farms, most of the agricultural equipments are operated by tractor. It is important to measure the effective factors in the tractor-machine operation and to make it easier to decide about the field performance of the tractor-machine combination. In this study, a GNSS receiver was used to determine the location, sensors used to determine the main operational data such as tractor pulling force, wheel spin, fuel consumption and PTO power were connected to the tractor and a data acquisition device was created to detect the signals from these sensors and record the data on a memory card. In order to conduct the trials of the data collection system, a split-plot experimental design was selected and tillage was carried out with a subsoiler, vertical harrow and leveling shovel respectively in order to ensure land homogeneity. Plow and milling machines were used to collect management data. The plot compaction design was selected and applied with 2 and 4 times compaction number with significant difference between them. Each main plot was divided into 3 plots with 3 replications within itself and the plots were processed as untreated plot, 2 passes with the roller and 4 passes with the roller. Operational data on tillage with plow and milling cutter were collected from the plots using the data collection system. As a result of the statistical analysis of the operational data collected with the data collection system; it was determined that the machine and the number of cylinder passes had a significant effect on fuel consumption, tractor pulling force, wheel spin, fuel consumption and PTO power. Operational data measured with the use of plow, fuel, wheel spin and tractor pulling force values are higher than the values measured with the use of milling cutter, and it has been determined that the operational values change with the number of cylinder passes and there are plots with 4, 2 and 0 cylinder passes in order from largest to smallest. PTO power was used only in the milling machine, it was concluded that the PTO power values changed with the number of cylinder passes and there were parcels with 4, 2 and 0 cylinder passes when sorted from largest to smallest. It was determined that the business data maps created with the GIS program gave similar results to the results determined by statistical analysis. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the measurement system can be used in agricultural management studies.