Yields mapping can be done in GIS programs as well as in specialized software for agriculture. These can be programs designed for preparing informative and application maps and also software designed for integrated management of agricultural production that have a built-in GIS module. In the presented study, representatives of those three groups were taken into consideration – QGIS, Agro-Map, and Farm^TMWorks Office (now Trimble Ag Software). The aim of the study was to evaluate the compatibility of the obtained yield maps in terms of basic statistical and geostatistical parameters, such as the average yield, the coefficient of variability, placement on the field zones with different yield ranges, and their percentage share in the area of the field surface. Calculations and visualization of the results were done for winter wheat, winter rape, and corn, cultivated in three-year rotation on one field. All three presented programs allow preparation of raw yield monitoring data so that yield maps produced with identical assumptions of interpolation parameters differ slightly. The difference in the use of these applications is mainly due to the further use of the resulting maps, the time required to learn the program, the task execution time, and the cost of purchase.

Soil plays significant roles in different phases and in the continuous existence of human life. Its comprehensive knowledge, particularly as related to its physical characteristics, enhances its utilization, conservation, and management. The traditional methods of soil study are characterized with some pitfalls such as much time needed to perform such assessments. There are also issues of invasiveness that affect the soil structures and discrete sampling that may not reflect true spatial attributes in the outcome of such techniques. These problems are largely due to the concealing nature of soil layers that made its thorough evaluation difficult. In this study, an alternative geophysical approach has been adopted. The technique is the ground-penetrating method (GPR) that utilizes electromagnetic pulse energy via its equipment’s sensors, which can allow the investigation of soil properties, even in its concealing state. This study aimed at qualitatively evaluating the soil horizons and the matric potentials using the GPR signal attributes within the unsaturated zone with a view of having insight into the test field’s characterization. Field data measurements were obtained using MALA ProEX GPR equipment with its accessories manufactured by MALA Geosciences, Stockholm, Sweden. Evaluation of the processed field data results and computed attributes show soil characteristics variations with depth that was interpreted as the layers. This can be seen from the GPR data presentation as an image representing the subsurface of the zones of propagation of the pulse energy. Spectral analysis of the GPR signals allows for the delineation of two zones of contrasting features, which were tagged as high and low matric potentials. Although the conventional direct measurement of the matric potential was not made at the time of the study to complement and confirm the veracity of the approach, the results indicate the possibility of the approach towards a quick and in situ technique of soil investigations. Such evaluation may be valuable input in precision agriculture where accurate data are sought for implementation.