Syngenta yield data indicates Quilt Xcel® fungicide helped corn and soybeans in drought-stressed regions across the U.S. better tolerate the 2012 drought. Quilt Xcel has been shown to reduce stomatal conductance, or the passing of water through the plant stomates, the natural openings in plants that allow exchange of water and gases. This improves a plant’s water use efficiency. As … Read More
Precision.AgWired.com Podcast: Preparing for 2013
Part of producing efficiently is also being prepared for the unknowns. As farmers 2012 began – there were hopes of high yields and a bountiful harvest. As the drought set in – the crops started to deteriorate and it became more obvious this would be a year where we would need to expect the unexpected. As we enter a New … Read More
Benefits of Long-Range Forecasts
MDA EarthSat Weather and EarthRisk Technologies, a pioneer in the research, analysis and visualization of extreme temperature and weather pattern risks, announced a strategic partnership. Under the partnership, MDA EarthSat Weather will distribute EarthRisk’s cutting-edge weather risk platform to help traders in natural gas, power, and agriculture sectors project extreme weather patterns up to 40 days in advance. Powering the … Read More
USDA Announces SURE Sign up for 2011 Crop Losses
USDA’s Farm Service Agency has announced the sign-up period for the 2011 crop year Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program will open Oct. 22, 2012. The SURE program is part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). Under the 2008 Farm Bill, SURE authorizes assistance to farmers and ranchers who suffered crop losses caused by natural … Read More
Mobile Weather from John Deere
Mobile weather sounds like it would be a high priority for farmers today. John Deere unveiled their version of it at the FarmSight Tech Summit. I visited with Janae Tapper, Product Manager in the John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group about the product. For private and commercial applicators who need precise weather information in order to make proper product application and … Read More
Dry Conditions May Impact Nitrogen Application
Dry conditions may have a negative impact on nitrogen applications in some areas of the country, according to experts at South Dakota State University. According to SDSU Extension Soils Specialist Ron Gelderman, while surface application of nitrogen fertilizer in late fall and early spring is a typical practice in South Dakota, dry soils this season may be putting that nitrogen … Read More
Real-time Crop Condition Monitoring from ClimateMinder
California organic produce grower Phil McGrath is monitoring his fields from his smartphone to save water, time and money thanks to ClimateMinder technology. McGrath, owner of McGrath Family Farms commented, “On our ranch there are several different soil types. One cropping program does not fit all. With ClimateMinder you get very accurate information about the soil moisture content on any … Read More
Wireless Soil Monitors for Precision Irrigation
Water use efficiency is vital for agriculture as our global population continues to grow. To help growers minimize water use while maintaining crop yields, Cermetek offers the new AquaMon Wireless Soil Monitoring Network. AquaMon allows active monitoring of the soil. Knowledge of soil conditions is essential to achieve high crop yield with less water. Maintaining the optimal level of moisture … Read More
2009 Top Stories on Precision.AgWired.com – July to December
Yesterday, I provided my list of the “Best of Precision.AgWired.com 2009” for January through June. Today’s list of stories runs from July through December. And tomorrow, look for the top product-related stories of the year. I hope you continue to find value in the information provided. And, as always, we appreciate any and all comments from our readers. Enjoy. And … Read More
Precision Farming Advances in Popular Science
Popular Science magazine did a nice job providing readers with a glimpse into the precision agriculture research that is needed to grow twice as much food by 2050. The writer talked about how this challenge is everyone’s problem, but scientists are hard at work fomenting a second green revolution. Here are the research projects that the magazine chose: 1. Sahara … Read More