Informed risk management and precision agronomy can be employed early in the growing season. This can mean monitoring weather impacts in each field, scouting and tracking crop stressors.
physical), crop rotation, seeding rates, tillage, and scouting reports. Informed risk management and precision agronomy can be employed early in the grow- ing season. This can mean monitoring weather impacts in each field (either online or via on- farm weather stations), scouting and tracking crop stressors like pests, nutrient deficiencies, or disease, as well as diagnosing crop symptoms through plant tissue and soil testing. All this data can be used to develop impact models, helping to inform mid-season efforts at addressing issues before yield impacts occur. Post-harvest, Ms Rabe says producers can fo- cus on farm specific business
intelligence.This means field-by-field data synthesis, and could include current year yield information layered with data from other in-season analyses (e.g. UAV or satellite imagery used in scouting). At this stage, though, Ms Rabe says farmers may want to seek help from a trusted advisor schooled in data analysis. Regardless, she reiterates there is likely no ‘silver-bullet solution’ to any management problem. Improvements are usually realised by taking incremental steps.
Keep experiments focused
Through his decades of experience Mr Cow- an says the value of agronomic data contin- ues to be commonly hindered by poorly de- signed tests. That is, trials with too much variability and not enough focused analysis. Whether testing a variable rate technology or crop health imaging software, mr Cowan stresses the importance of leaving test strips in order to generate comparative data. Those strips should also cross field-tile runs, be planted in similar soil, and in relative prox- imity to account for things like potential differences in rainfall. It’s critical, too, to keep things simple – that often means only testing one thing at a time. Doing so helps ensure generated data is more directly tied to the subject of focus. “Control as much of the inherent variability as you can. You can get a lot of false posi- tives,” says Mr Cowan. “Remember why
Dale Cowan is a senior agronomist and sales manager with AGRIS and Wanstead Coopera- tives .
you’re doing the trial in the first place.” Other factors apply as well, including analys- ing results during slower parts of the year (not during the stressful harvest season). Another is taking the time to learn what a technology’s capabilities actually are – just as one might do if they purchase a high-end digital camera.
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 1 november 2019 25
PHOTO: DALE COWAN
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