Tips to use in the field
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
The best way to get a clearer picture of how crops are performing or underperforming, is to get into the fields and actively participate in crop scouting.
Here are some tips for crop scouting farmers can use in 2015 and beyond.
1. Start Big
Instead of going into the fields looking for one or two specific things, keep an open mind with a general scouting trip. Not focusing on one object will make it easier to document more of what’s going on in the fields.
2. Map it Out
Knowing where to start and finish makes it easier to organize the scouting trip and map out the areas that have been visited or need to be visited.
3. Write Everything Down
If the crop doesn’t look as tall as it should or if the colour is a little off, write it down. Making notes and maybe more importantly, keeping them to revisit every year can help identify any trends that may be developing in the fields.
4. Be Prepared
Without having the right tools, the whole scouting trip could be for nothing. Bring everything that might be needed. Pens, pencils, knives, containers and scissors are a few items that could be useful on a scouting venture.
If technology is more your style, there are many apps available to be used with drones and mobile devices for scouting in the skies or in the palm of your hands.
One app, ScoutPro, can identify up to 75 weeds, 70 insects, 90 diseases and 75 disorders.