Using Grower Friendly, Web-based Mapping to Share Field Isolations within a Global Agricultural Community

Greater emphasis has been placed on the interplay between computerized agricultural mapping and crop production since the integration of GPS/GIS became mainstream in the late 1990’s.  In addition, interfacing agriculture and the web has provided a new dynamic involving production practices, data management, networking, communication and information gathering.  Hybrid seed production requires certain field isolations and/or setbacks to prevent the pollen cross-contamination as a result of bees possibly making multiple field visits.  For a number of years, vegetable seed producers in Yuma, Arizona utilized a large paper map of growing regions to indicate field locations, which were made transparently available to all seed producers.  With the onset of web-based mapping, the University of Arizona-Yuma, in collaboration with area vegetable seed producers, utilized the Google Maps Engine Lite mapping website to develop a mapping system which allows for a grower friendly platform to identify field isolations.  While not necessarily required, we converted a large flat screen, wall-mounted television into a touch screen using an overlay frame.  This allowed the operator to enter map locations, and visually network with other users.  The system is flexible enough to allow for the categorization of crops, establishing buffer zones, and entering data through the web at the convenience of cellular phone or desktop computer connections.  The resulting maps are made immediately available throughout the globe.  This presentation will provide a system overview, and review the necessary technical aspects so that participants can incorporate the scheme into their own research or Cooperative Extension programs.