Precision vs. accuracy in agriculture: Lessons from the dartboard

In agriculture, particularly in irrigation and nutrient management, the terms precision and accuracy are often used interchangeably. However, they are not the same — and understanding their distinctions can be the difference between optimizing water and input efficiency or simply repeating mistakes consistently.

A helpful way to visualize this distinction is the classic dartboard analogy, which illustrates why both precision and accuracy matter in modern agricultural practices.

The dartboard analogy

Picture yourself at a dartboard, aiming for the bull’s-eye. Your dart-throwing performance can fall into one of four categories:

• Precise but not accurate: Your darts are tightly grouped together, but they consistently land off to the side.
• Accurate but not precise: Your darts scatter around the bull’s-eye, sometimes hitting the target but without consistency.
• Neither precise nor accurate: Your darts are all over the board, missing both consistency and correctness.
• Both precise and accurate: Your darts are tightly clustered and centered on the bull’s-eye.

In agriculture, this concept directly applies to how we manage water, fertilizers and pesticides. The goal is to be both precise and accurate, ensuring that inputs are applied consistently and correctly where they are needed.

Precision in agriculture

Precision in agriculture refers to consistency and repeatability — the ability to apply water, nutrients or pesticides the same way every time. Advanced technologies such as GPS-guided irrigation, variable rate application (VRA) and automated irrigation systems ensure precise application by following predetermined paths and patterns.

For example, a center-pivot irrigation system that delivers exactly 1 inch of water to the same part of the field every time is precise — but if that part of the field doesn’t actually need 1 inch of water, it is not accurate.

Accuracy in agriculture

Accuracy is about getting the right number of inputs to the right place. A highly accurate irrigation system ensures water is applied only where it’s needed, preventing overwatering or underwatering.

For example, a farmer using soil moisture sensors to determine water requirements and adjusting irrigation accordingly is accurate — even if the delivery method varies slightly from one application to the next. The key difference is that accuracy ensures the correct amount of water is applied in the correct locations, even if the method isn’t always perfectly precise.

The ideal scenario: precision and accuracy working together

The ultimate goal in precision agriculture is to be both precise and accurate — like a skilled dart player consistently hitting the bull’s-eye.

Achieving this balance involves:

• Using high-precision technologies (GPS guidance, automated irrigation, VRA) to ensure repeatability.
• Validating accuracy with real-time data from soil moisture sensors, weather stations and satellite imaging.
• Optimizing applications with analytics to adjust for variability in soil type, topography and crop needs.

For instance, a variable rate irrigation system that adjusts water application based on real-time soil moisture levels both precisely and accurately delivers the correct amount of water where it is needed, reducing waste and improving yields.

Why this matters for irrigation

In irrigation management, precision without accuracy is just a consistent mistake. Applying water precisely but inaccurately can result in:

• Overwatering, leading to runoff, leaching of nutrients and wasted water.
• Underwatering, which stresses crops and reduces yields.

By integrating precision technologies with accuracy-driven decision-making, farmers and irrigation professionals can:

• Improve water use efficiency.
• Reduce input costs.
• Minimize environmental impact.
• Increase crop yield and quality.

Aim for the bull’s-eye

The dartboard analogy makes one thing clear: Precision alone isn’t enough — we must also be accurate. In modern agriculture, precision tools must be paired with accurate data to truly optimize irrigation and resource management. When farmers hit that sweet spot — where applications are both precise and accurate — they maximize efficiency, sustainability and profitability. By aiming for the bull’s-eye every time, we can ensure that precision agriculture lives up to its full potential.

Jim Lauria is vice president of sales and marketing at Mazzei Injector Co. Lauria has extensive expertise in the irrigation space and is on the board of directors of the California Agricultural Irrigation Association and an active member of the Irrigation Association. Contact him at jlauria@mazzei.net or connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/jimlauria.