Subproject 19

Participant: KTBL e.V., Darmstadt

Co-worker: Dr. F. Kloepfer, Daniel Martini (KTBL e.V. Darmstadt); Christine Spietz (FH Bingen)

SP title: agroXML - A Standardized File Format for Data Exchange in Information Directed Plant Production especially with regard to Precision Farming

SP short title: agroXML as electronic data interchange language for Precision Farming

SP goals: Expansion of agroXML as a standardized data format for electronic interchange in Precision Farming. TP 19 provides the current scheme files and documentation for software engineers, farmers and other interested actors.

Position of the subproject: Department 2: Information Management.

Actors and therefore different business and work processes in production and delivery of agricultural goods pose different requirements on format and extent of neccessary information for a product or work operation. Currently, the data often has to be handed out on paper forms or has to be converted between formats of different closed systems (partially even by hand). In the same time, the quantity of information to process - especially in precision farming - is increasing. because of the need to store and analyze subfield area specific data. Furthermore, the amount of information offered to the farmer by external service providers is constantly rising.

At present, the KTBL is developing a proposal for a standardized XML-based format called agroXML in cooperation with FH Bingen and the agricultural Software industry. With its aid, it should be possible to describe all processes and data during plant production. The format is based on the W3 Consortium's markup language XML and is being defined using so called Schemata. These Schemata and the documentation in the form of a glossary will be provided on the Internet as so called Open Source. This way, interested organizations and persons can take insight and introduce change proposals.

Using the agroXML Schemata, data in potato production have successfully been described. A lot of other applications are already possible, but they have not yet been implemented. For deployment in the area of precision farming however - especially for the description of subfield specific measures - possibilities for the integration of geographic data and data orginating from online sensor systems on the tractor, have to be created. The solution of this problem as well as provision of the current schemata and documentation are the task and goal of subproject 19. Additionally, subproject 19 will be available for questions regarding the integration of new precision farming specific functionality into agroXML. See: www.agroXML.de

Last Changed: 19.07.2005, RS