Microplot vectorization

This analytic digitalizes and georeferences microplot boundaries, to delineate microplots to then measure, benchmark and monitor traits of varieties, evaluate trial responses at microplot level. Microplot customer id is linked to each microplot to enable seamless data analysis. It serves as the reference file for traits and trial responses data storage.

1. Inputs

• Scouting Maps shall be computed first as well as the VARI for RGB sensors.
• Additional Input required from the customer is the experimental design plan (.xlsx format).

All microplots must have same design. The experimental design plan shall provide the trial breakdown :

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN PLAN : AN EXAMPLE

IMPORTANT - EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN PLAN : MARKING THE FIELD TRIAL START

You have to indicate in your file the location of the field trial start. In the process to run the analytic (steps detailed at 6), you will have at some point to create an annotation on the RGB map that will correspond to this field trial start position :

2. Output File Formats

The microplot customer id is linked to each microplot to enable seamless data analysis ; linkage of traits and outcomes. Output formats are :

• .geojson
• .shp

3. Deliverables

The output contains these fields :

4. Display

From layers left panel, select Microplot layer from SURVEY DATA section, inside Contours subgroup :

Outputs (id's) can be browsed from the information panel on right side :

5. How to run the analytic 

Microplot vectorization can be run using either :

• A field trial experimental plan from an excel file (standard workflow)
• or a vector file (shapefile or geojson format) containing the microplots. With this alternative, it is highly recommended to also upload an experimental plan, if any, as some adjustments may be required)

5.1. Standard Workflow

Step 1/10- Ensure to have the base scouting maps processing completed in your site.

Step 2/10 - Open your site and start to upload of your experimental plan from UPLOAD FILES button on top bar :

Step 3/10 - Select to attach the experimental plan to All surveys of this site ; this will mount the experimental plan as a reference file :

Step 4/10- Drag-and-drop or browse your experimental plan file :

Step 5/10 - Edit file Name if necessary, select Type : File and Category : Microplots / Plots. Then press UPLOAD :

Your experimental plan will be stored and made available under Downloads section :

Step 6/10 - Display the RGB layer from the layers panel at BASE LAYERS section. Create on this RGB map a point annotation to mark the position of the field trial start. Reminder : the field trial start should also have been marked in your experimental plan excel file (cf. 2.). You can optionally modify the annotation icon from the STYLE section :

Step 7/10 - Rename this point annotation to "Start of field trial" :

Step 8/10 - 

Using the Polygon tool, delineate the field trial

• Click on Polygon
• Draw the outlines of the field trial
• Enter the name of the field trial and click on enter to validate
  To modify the contour, right click then “edit”
• Click on the 3 dots and click on Convert to > Field Boundaries

The conversion can take few seconds

Important: if you want to use an existing vector file that contains the boundaries of the field trial (kml, shp, or geojson) you can upload it in the platform. In this case you need to select the category field boundaries at the upload

Step 9/10 - Go to Analytics section from the left panel, scroll to find Microplot Vectorization section, and press Run :

Step 10/10- Select the right input files :

• Scouting map :
• Microplot Block contour : the boundaries you just created
• Experimental plan : excel file

Once process is complete vectorization results becomes viewable as shown at section 5.

5.2. Alternative Workflow using a vector file

This method uses a vector file that contains the microplots, in one of these formats :

• Shapefile (.shp)
• GeoJSON (.geojson ; .json)

Step 1/16 - Ensure Scouting Maps analytics have been calculated first.

Step 2/16 - Upload the shape files set (compressed in a zip file : one set only containing the .dbf, .mgm, .shp, .shx files ) or the GeoJSON file. From the survey page click on UPLOAD FILES.

Step 3/16 - Select to attach the file to A specific survey of this site and select the survey.

Step 4/16 - Drag-and-drop or browse to locate the vector file and click on NEXT.

Step 5/16 - Change the name if necessary, select Microplots in Category, select the CRS of the file (If no .prj file is included in the set of shape files) of the file and click on UPLOAD. We recommend to use the same CRS for the project and shape file.

Step 6/16 - After uploading, the file will be stored in the Download section.

Step 7/16 - We highly recommend to upload the experimental plan as well. Indeed in some case, adjustments may be required on the Shapefile or GeoJSON.

Step 8/16 - Click on UPLOAD FILES.

Step 9/16 - Select A specific survey of this site.

Step 10/16 - Drag-and-drop or browse to locate the file and click on NEXT.

Step 11/16 - Change the name if necessary, select File in Type and Microplots in Category and click on UPLOAD.

Step 12/16 - After the uploading, the file will be stored in the Download section where you can delete or download the document if necessary.
 

Step 13/16 - On the RGB map, create a point annotation where the field trial start. 

• Click on Point
• Change the name (Start of field trial)
• Click on Enter to validate. You can change the icon (green flag for example)

The field trial start should also be visible on the experimental plan uploaded previously.

Step 14/16 - From the survey page, click on Analytics , scroll down to Microplot boundaries adjustment on left panel, and click on Launch.

Step 15/16 - Select the right input 

• Scouting map: NDVI by default or VARI for RGB dataset
• Select the vector fil uploaded previously

Step 16/16 - Launch the process. When the process is finished, the vectorized microplots will appear on the survey page.

6. Duplicate the microplot boundaries

It is possible to duplicate the microplot boundaries in another survey :

• From the survey page, click on “Analytics”, scroll down to “Microplot boundaries adjustment” on the left panel, and click on “Launch”
• Select a scounting map
• Select the vector file from the past survey you want to duplicate
• Click on microplot boundaries adjustment

There is a quality check made by Delair before the duplication, so there might be a delay before the delivery