Prairie farmers wanted for survey Aug 2024

Aug 19, 2024

The survey asks if producers would be interested in using AI to detect crop pressures

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A researcher is looking for farmers in Western Canada to participate in a survey.

Elnur Abasli, a student from Lankaran State University in Azerbaijan, is conducting small-scale research for a coursework project.

“The project is a hypothetical solution for farmers to use in the fields to diagnose plant diseases for pests using AI,” he told Farms.com in an email. “I am tasked with gathering validation data from actual farmers to see if they would be interested in such a solution.”

The survey has eight questions.

It asks respondents, for example, how they currently diagnose plant diseases and pests, if they’d be interested in using an app to diagnose plant diseases and if they’re willing to pay a subscription fee for a reliable diagnostic tool.

Abasli committed to sharing his findings with Farms.com upon completion.

Some work is already being done in ag with AI and detecting plant diseases.

In 2023, for example, Protein Industries Canada, Ukko Agro, Hawk’s Agro and Three Farmers announced a collaboration using AI to enhance lentil crop health.

The project’s primary goal is to create an in-field platform using AI to predict and control anthracnose and Assochyta blight.

And in 2020, researchers in the U.S. started using AI to help detect powdery mildew in squash.

Scientists attached a sensing system to drones to collect spectral data of powdery mildew on squash in Florida.

The system showed researchers the disease almost 90 per cent of the time.

If you would like to help this young ag student with his research, complete the survey here.

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.