Decision Support Systems in Agriculture: Some Successes and a Bright Future - Efficient Decision Support Systems: Practice and Challenges from Current to Future - page 312

phosphorus, and acidity were constructed. In addition time did not permit the full
integration of the potassium, rock phosphate, and perennial crop modules that had been
developed for PDSS, to be integrated into the NuMaSS system.
6.5 NuMaSS-PDA (nutrient management support system for personal digital
assistants)
Scientists at Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand were among the first to attempt to
diagnose and make fertilizer recommendations at the field-level using decision-aids
(Attanandana et al., 1999). These scientists adapted simulation model output for use by local
growers / producers in their efforts to apply site-specific nutrient management on their land
(Attanandana and Yost, 2003). This approach was an attempt to adapt the concepts of
Precision Agriculture, which broadly seeks to apply the right amount of the right nutrient at
the right place at the right time, to the small farms of the Tropics (Attanandana et al., 2007).
This included invention and use of the soil test kit, identification of the soils in the field
using simple field observations (Boonsompopphan et al., 2009) and simplification of
complicated simulation models (Attanandana et al., 2006; Attanandana et al., 1999) so that
fertilizer recommendations could be made in the field. These efforts led to the assembly of
the SimCorn, SimRice, and subsequently to the SimCane software (Attanandana et al., 2006).
The NuMaSS-PDA was an attempt to harness the new capability of handheld computers
and smartphones to provide the decision-support for the process.
6.5.1 Goal
Re-structure and re-organize a subset of the knowledge in the NuMaSS software for
delivery on a hand-held computer so that one could go to a producer's field, sample and
analyze the soil, identify the pertinent soil series, and conduct the diagnosis, prediction,
economic analysis, and prepare a recommendation on site.
6.5.2 Objectives
Adapt essential parts of the NuMaSS decision-aid for delivery on a handheld device. Add
the potassium decision-aid module to that of the nitrogen and phosphorus, thus providing
direct support for the typical N, P, K fertilizer decision-making. Develop a simple method so
that interaction and use of the decision-aid would be possible in multiple languages with
simple addition of a simple dictionary for each language.
6.5.3 Implementing language
Superwaba ® , a Java-based language. Palm OS, Windows Mobile OS.
6.5.4 Successes
A multilingual interface was developed that would permit interaction with users from a
large number of languages. The nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and liming modules were
joined and executed properly in the SuperWaba environment. The initial languages
implemented included English, French, Portuguese (Li et al., 2006). Subsequently, Tagalog
and Tetun were added. Development concluded as the project drew to a close.
6.6 Visual decision-aid
In numerous regions of the Tropics access to a computer, an agricultural officer, or highly
knowledgeable producers / growers is difficult or impossible. In other cases, even access to