TAVAP: Timing and Variable Application of Plant Growth Regulators

Variable application of fertilizers based on remote sensing data analysis has become popular among farmers focussing on smart agriculture. Some farmers and companies are in similar manner using variable seeding strategies, in order to save costs and improve yields. Variable application of plant growth regulators is a promising step towards precision agriculture.

A growth regulator, plant growth regulator, or PGR, is a natural or synthetic chemical that is sprayed or otherwise applied to a seed or a plant in order to optimize plant growth and achieve higher yields. PGRs are typically used in row crops to support shoot growth or to prevent lodging.

The main objective of the project is to develop a new service, TAVAP, that will optimise the usage of plant growth regulators. The service builds on World from Space’s existing product DynaCrop API which can be integrated into clients’ software. TAVAP is an extension of the current API capabilities based on requirements from end users (farmers) and potential clients (farm management software companies).

The main benefit of the service lies in the precise scheduling of applications and variable rate application of PGRs, resulting in simplified decision-making, higher crop yields and savings in PGR consumption, thus making PGR applications more effective while reducing environmental impacts. The service will provide PGR recommendations for selected crops in Europe.

Recommendations on the usage of plant growth regulators will be delivered in two perspectives:

1. Time alert and prioritisation – the service will predict ideal time dates for PGR applications based on satellite and weather data. The service will point out the right time for the application of PGR for each field enabling prioritisation and optimised scheduling for all fields within the farm. The notification system will provide up-to-date information to the farmer.
2. Variable rate application – the service will provide maps for variable rate application based on crop spatial variability using the latest satellite imagery, making the PGR applications more effective with minimal waste.

The service will provide the information in a simple, task-specific and standardised form through the DynaCrop API service, a satellite crop monitoring system run by World from Space.