Alleviating data fatigue with automation

Nov 21, 2018

Growers need to increase their profitability on every single acre they grow

Bennie Dunhin, Agronomy Manager with Cavalier Agrow says that the more he thought about the problem, the more he wanted to fundamentally change to how he was going to approach plant nutrition. Bennie spoke recently during the 2018 Farms.com Western Precision Agriculture Conference and Ag Technology Showcase in Saskatoon earlier in November.

“Yield data is the Y axis of everything we’re trying to address: P, K, S, N, and Micros,” Dunhin explained, “We have to be able to discover the yield driver of every field by correlating yield with soil attributes”

Dunhin says that he came to realize that for data collection to be embraced by farmers, it needed to be captured automatically. Dunhin also noted that growers had data fatigue due to the difficulty involved with data capture.

He wanted growers to be able to measure the work they do, and the recommendations they receive from their agronomists. “Growers need to increase their profitability on every single acre they grow.”

Dunhin is an agronomist by training. He believed that cloud mapping software could be used to automate yield data cleansing, and he began working with a company called Troo, and their retrofit yield monitor system called FarmTRX. This yield measuring device fits on any color or model combine and captures yield data automatically.

Troo specializes in collecting mobile location & sensor data and delivering it to its users in a meaningful way – they are proud to work with Canadian-based suppliers. Troo does not work exclusively in agriculture, but its expertise working with groups to process precision data in a way that brings value to the information was helpful in developing FarmTRX.

FarmTRX Monitor Kit

Here is how the FarmTRX system works:

Optical sensors read height of grain on each paddle in the clean grain elevator and store this information on the yield monitor
Mobile app connects to the monitor via Bluetooth and is used to setup the device
Realtime harvest data is wirelessly transmitted to app for in-cab display
Data is transferred to cloud by the app using cell connection or wifi
FarmTRX Cloud automatically cleans yield data, intelligently correcting for user errors and multi-combine calibration issues, and generates yield maps and reports

Dunhin says he believes that he can now provide high precision yield maps to his farmers at an affordable price; and is pleased to see the value of precision agriculture truly starting to emerge. “The future is prescription-based agriculture and if we cannot measure what we do, how will we know if we are doing the right thing. “

Farms.com holds two precision agriculture conferences each year. One in western Canada and one in Ontario. To learn more about the 2019 Farms.com Precision Agriculture Conference and Ag Technology Showcase in London, Ontario, visit https://www.farms.com/precision-agriculture/eastern-conference-2019/.

Video: How a Desire to Lead Brought This Wheat Breeder to Canada

Gurcharn Singh Brar is a wheat breeder whose path meandered from the breadbaskets of Punjab, India, to the sprawling fields of the Prairies. In a candid conversation, Brar shared insights into his journey, the challenges faced, and the undying passion that fuels his quest for better crops.

It all began with a childhood rooted in the wheat fields of Punjab, where agriculture isn’t just a livelihood but a way of life. His fascination with wheat and its potential led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences at Punjab Agricultural University. It was during this time that he encountered the spectre of rust diseases, particularly stripe rust, which plagued the region’s wheat crops. Determined to combat this menace, he set his sights on a journey that would take him across continents.

Venturing abroad for his graduate studies, he found himself in Saskatchewan at the Crop Development Centre (CDC), working under the mentorship of renowned researchers like Randy Kutcher and Pierre Hucl. Here, he delved deep into the world of wheat genetics, focusing on stripe rust resistance — a quest that would shape his academic pursuits for years to come.

After completing his master’s and Ph.D. in six and a half years, he embarked on a professional journey that would see him traverse academia and research. From brief stints as a research officer to landing his dream faculty position at the University of British Columbia’s Plant Science program, his career trajectory was marked by a strong drive to make a difference in the world of wheat.

Despite the allure of British Columbia’s unique agricultural landscape, he found himself wanting to return to the vast expanses of the Prairies, where wheat reigns supreme. He recently returned to the Prairies and is the new wheat breeder at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

“The opportunity to lead an established wheat breeding program at the University of Alberta was a dream come true. With the necessary resources and infrastructure in place, I’m excited to drive innovation and develop high-yielding wheat varieties tailored to the unique conditions of northern Canada,” he says.

Brar, one of Seed World Canada‘s 2024 Next-Gen Leaders, has become known for identifying novel sources of resistance to priority diseases and his efforts in developing wheat germplasm with multiple disease-resistant traits.

In addition to his groundbreaking research, Brar is committed to mentoring the next generation of agricultural scientists.

“I believe in nurturing talent and empowering students to pursue their passions,” he says. “Watching my students grow and thrive in their research endeavours is hugely rewarding.”

As he looks ahead, Brar’s vision for the future of wheat breeding is clear: “My number one target is to develop high-yielding wheat varieties adapted to the northern climates of Canada. By focusing on early maturity and strong straw traits, we can maximize yield potential while ensuring resilience to environmental challenges.”

His decision to also join the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye, and Triticale (PGDC) executive as member-at-large came from a desire to play an even more important role in the world of Canadian cereals.