SOILCROP : an innovative conservation farmer's expert system for conservation farm planning
Date
1997
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Abstract
Expert systems, as tools for diagnosis and prognosis of major problems, can provide valuable information for on-farm decision making. SOILCROP was developed to utilize the knowledge base of innovative conservation farmers integrated with information from scientific literature. SOILCROP diagnoses the type and severity of soil degradation and associated crop yield impacts and develops recommendations for ameliorative practices. Qualitative information was combined with quantitative
research data to develop the knowledge base for SOILCROP, thus illustrating one of the strong points of expert systems. Expert systems play the dual roles of knowledge synthesis as well as dissemination; during development of expert systems, required but unavailable information is readily identified. The development of SOILCROP has shown, the need for structuring research on
agricultural management problems, based on the information required by farmers to make
management decisions.
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Working Paper
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Keywords
EXPERT SYSTEMS, DIAGNOSIS, SOIL DEGRADATION, SOIL MANAGEMENT, SOIL IMPROVEMENT, SOIL FERTILITY, CROP YIELD, CANADA