• Decision Support System helps farms conserve resources.The Farm image by bonjo from Fotolia.com
  
  Decision Support System (DSS) is a knowledge-based computerized technology to help farmers understand the effects of resource management and to select management systems as part of a conservation plan. It is designed to support human decisions rather than make them. Soil fertility and fertilizer use is an important component of managing the natural resources of a farm to ensure a sustainable future. Computer models for management strategies are generated using natural resources, conservation databases and farm economic goals. Farmers are able to choose a course of action which produces economic gain and conservation of natural resources such as soil.
  
  

Pros

• The Great Plains Farm DSS project introduced the concept of knowledge-based computer-generated models for natural resource conservation to farmers and ranchers in the Midwest. The system's approach is designed to help farmers take advantage of the global economy, stay informed of new tillage methods and pest management methods, and comply with legislation for protection of soil, water and air. Total soil food web biology is analyzed and recommendations are given for nutrient acquisition through fertilizer amendments and topsoil conservation. "Farmers were enthusiastic about seeing the effects of management on sediment, nutrient and pesticide losses quantified," according to a Purdue University report on DSS management techniques.
  
  

Cons

• Drawbacks to the DSS system of managing natural resources and making fertilizer decisions include resistance to technology and non-coordinated efforts to develop databases. There are many efforts underway to develop conservation systems and models, but their components are often not designed to interact with each other. There is also concern that individual farm needs will not be met by the computer-generated management models. "Farmers want to be sure that the simulation results took into account their unique conditions,particularly that net income estimates were realistic," according to the Purdue University report. Older farmers may be uncomfortable with technology.
  
  

Additional Information

• DSS analysis of soil fertility management choices takes into account soil biology and projected depletion of resources from crop growth. Fertilizer is considered a mineral input that is part of the overall management of organic matter. Nitrogen must be constantly replaced, along with the other essential nutrients for plant growth. The decomposition rate of applied organic matter can be analyzed and future nutrient content of soil predicted. DSS simulation models are able to predict soil nutrient cycling and uptake to generate soil amendment suggestions.