How to improve wheat production?

Wheat is one of the most important crops in the world, with a total production of 761 million metric tons of wheat were produced on a total area of 219 million hectares (2020). Modern-day producers in the EU, India, China, the US, and Russia face everyday challenges in inefficient production and rising demand worldwide. The forecast for the next five years shows that wheat consumption will grow at a CAGR of 2.7%.

One of the main questions producers are trying to resolve is how to improve yields per square meter while lowering the rising production costs. Even though there isn’t a silver bullet solution, modern solutions such as drones, AI, variable rate applications, sensors, weather stations, satellites, etc., can improve overall production through better yield and lower production costs.

Precision farming and wheat production

Precision agriculture technologies aim to reduce the use of pesticides and fossil fuels, increase crop production and meet sustainability criteria. Simply said, producing more with less environmental impact is the ultimate goal of precision farming.

Agremo technology enables wheat farmers and producers to shift towards data-oriented decision-making and improve their results by optimizing the operations throughout the season – such as early yield insights, weed and fertilization management, or harvest timing.

Agremo for wheat production

Missing plant detection – replanting

Agremo AI analysis: Stand Count

Period: After the emergence

Data source: Drone

Required resolution: 2cm/pix

As a result of the wheat plant’s capacity to make up for low populations and still provide respectable yields, deciding whether to replant wheat or supplement a thin stand can be exceedingly challenging. Replanting should be decided as soon as possible. Make sure there is no viable seed in the soil if the stands are thin. If a seed is still hard, it has not yet germinated and will probably emerge once the soil temperature and moisture levels are right.

In general, yield won’t be a problem if your stand is at least 50% of what you had anticipated. Consider replanting to thicken the stand if it is less than 40%.

As 10% can make a huge difference in your final decision, it is recommended that the crop evaluation is performed with a drone and analyzed with Agremo AI technology. Agremo system shall check every square meter of the field, so you don’t have to walk the field and rely on estimates.

Early yield estimation – benchmarking for forward contracting decisions and supply planning

Agremo AI analysis: Stand Count

Period: After the emergence

Data source: Drone

Required resolution: 2cm/pix

The Stand Count report shows the wheat plant population and identifies areas with smaller populations and without plants. This analysis makes it possible to grasp the early yield estimates and prepare the in-season measures. It is recommended to check the stand assessment (BBCH 00 to 21). If a seed is still hard, it has not yet germinated, the farmer can perform another flight to check the survival rate and late emergence after the snow melts in the spring. The number of plants is one of the factors we need to consider when estimating the yield. In addition to the stand count, we could perform the Agremo AI Plant Vigor analysis.

We must foresee the difficulties we might experience when the crop awakens from its winter rest. Although the concern of winter damage may be mitigated by higher temperatures, there are other potential negative effects. The likelihood of plant and grass infestations, as well as the ground’s susceptibility to wind erosion, are two crucial factors to consider in addition to yield potential.

Fertilizer distribution – optimization based on the VRA map

Agremo AI analysis: Plant Vigor

Period: In the season

Data source: Drone

Required resolution: 2cm/pix

Agremo AI Plant Vigor report can better understand the development and the zones of wheat lushness. Previously done Agremo AI Stand Count and Plant Vigor report will not only bring early yield insights but define the yield-performing zones.

Plant Vigor analysis and Agremo Fertilizer Rx tool can enable VR application maps in the low and lower-performing zones and generate significant cost savings on the relatively expensive input.

We are seeing that not only nitrogen but phosphorous and sulfur play an important role in wheat yield improvement. Depending on the rain situation timing of nitrogen application can differ. For drier areas, the application is being done a little early. Agremo AI Plant Vigor can be used as early as leaf mass is formed.

In the regions with more rain, when we see heavy precipitation in the spring, especially if it comes after a dry fall when there is a lot of vertical water flow in the profile, the sulfur may be pushed deeper. Early in the spring, when routes are only 5-6 inches deep, it could still technically be inside the route profile or the rooting zone, but rain and erosion could shift it to an 8-9 inch depth where shallow roots cannot reach it. The plant will ultimately get there, but in the meanwhile, it will be in distress and exhibit the classic yellowing and striping of sulfur deficiency.

Particularly in years when winter damage is a problem and as a factor that can impact the plants and the stand, phosphorus can do some spectacular things for wheat. Phosphorus helps plants overwinter and preserve tillers that could otherwise be lost by helping them form a bigger, healthier crown in the autumn.

Lodging Detection – evaluation of growth regulator and assessing yield loss zones

Agremo AI analysis: Lodging Detection

Period: In the season

Data source: Drone

Required resolution: 2cm/pix

Early planting, high seeding rates, varieties with low standability, high nitrogen rates, particularly if all or most of the nitrogen is provided in one application and accessible during stem elongation, and warm, humid conditions during stem elongation are all factors that enhance the risk of lodging.

Per AHDB, It is possible for lodging to cause yield losses of up to 75% around ear emergence. PGRs (plant growth regulators) lower the likelihood of lodging by shortening the crop.

If you have invested in a growth regulator application to prevent lodging problems, Agremo AI Lodging analysis could help measure the regulator’s performance. The Lodging analysis will quantify the areas with lodging and also provide georeferenced information so you can overlap them with harvest maps and understand where you lost income.

Crop Damage – assessing the damage for crop insurance

Agremo AI analysis: Lodging Detection

Period: In the season

Data source: Drone

Required resolution: 2cm/pix

Agremo AI is used upon wind or wildlife damage for crop loss assessment as it precisely measures the percentage and levels of damage. The analysis can be done every time after the damage has happened due to hail, storm, wind, wild animals, or other bad events.

In addition to the analyses listed above, the Agremo app has multiple farming tools for calculating corn biomass, making prescription maps for spraying, and organizing zones in the field according to different field characteristics or crop needs.

Wheat analytics for field trials

Agremo’s Field Trials product offers analyses that can speed up the research process and deliver valuable information. Our AI technology optimizes the time researchers and trialists spend on the field and provides an additional source of raw data crucial for small field trial ratings and the GEP process performed by CROs, seed, and agrochemical companies. Agremo tool is great for stand assessment, measuring weed pressure, biostimulants, or fungicide trials.