Peter Weir

PhD Candidate

Supervisors: Assoc Prof Peter Dahlhaus, Dr Nathan Robinson, and
Assoc Prof Peter Vamplew

Peter commenced his PhD at CeRDI in February 2020. The aim of his research is to develop a conceptual model, using existing spatio-temporal data as the basis for predictions of within-paddock variability in plant-available water (PAW), which will consider local constraints, and uncertainty in the data. Assuming a credible and robust fine-scale PAW model can be achieved, the variation in annual yields against the variations in seasonal PAW could be correlated to elicit information about the paddocks and soils that can feed into predictive models. Predictions will be based on a range of publicly available data sets including satellite imagery, landscape metrics, soil moisture measurements, digital soil data, and meteorological data. Multi-variate statistical analysis and machine learning techniques will be used to develop the prediction algorithms.

After many years in irrigated horticulture in the Riverland, South Australia, both as a farmer and a software developer, Peter returned to fulltime study in 2008 at the University of South Australia, Adelaide, obtaining an Information Technology degree with Honours (2012). His Honours thesis was titled "Evaluation of Psychophysical Effects in High Quality Augmented Reality Environments". At that time, his research interest was the objective measurement of the perceptual experiences of individuals using Augmented Reality systems, studying how our brains process multimodal sensory stimulation as we experience the world around us.

Peter moved to Ballarat in 2016 and has now commenced PhD studies at CeRDI. His previous interests in soils and soil moisture management and as a co-inventor/developer of the EnviroScan soil moisture monitoring systems, provide a strong background for the research work he will be undertaking.

Peter is enrolled with Federation University with Associate Professor Peter Dahlhaus in the role of principal supervisor, and Dr Nathan Robinson and Associate Professor Peter Vamplew as associate supervisors.

Peter Weir is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Fee-Offset Scholarship through Federation University Australia and by the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils whose activities are funded by the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centre Program.

Email: peterweir@students.federation.edu.au
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1748-5094

In-Paddock Variability of Plant Available Water

With the adoption of Precision Agriculture (PA) and implementation of site-specific crop management (SSCM) by farmers, there is a better understanding of both spatial and temporal variabilities in cropping fields and to a lesser extent, pastures.

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Publications and Presentations

Journal papers

Weir, P., & Dahlhaus, P. (2024). Merging weather radar and rain gauges for dryland agriculture. Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science 74, ES23023. doi.org/10.1071/ES23023

Weir, P., & Dahlhaus, P. (2023). In search of pragmatic soil moisture mapping at the field scale: A review. Smart Agricultural Technology, 6, 100330. doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2023.100330

Conference Presentations

Weir, P.C. In-paddock soil moisture spatial variability for dryland cropping. Soil Science of Australia Riverina Branch – Soil Physics Workshop, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 23 – 24th June 2022.

Weir, P.C. In-paddock variability of plant available water. Federation University HDR Research Conference, 21 July 2022.

Weir, P.C. PhD presentation: Variability of soil moisture at field scale. Soil CRC Participants Conference 2022, 23 – 25 August 2022. Intercontinental Hotel, Adelaide, South Australia.