Mixed crops

NDVI, NIR, infrared, multispectral satellite imagery - terms that we are increasingly coming across as precision farmers. What do they mean and how can we use them without becoming NASA engineers? 

Pest monitoring in farming is the practice of regularly checking crops and soil for signs of insect pests and other diseases. This helps farmers identify potential problems before they become severe, allowing them to take preventative measures to protect their crops. Pest monitoring can involve checking for physical signs of pests, such as egg masses or feces, or using traps and other detection tools.Pest monitoring in farming is the practice of regularly checking crops and soil for signs of insect pests and other diseases.

Organic fertilisers are natural fertilisers that are derived from plant and animal sources. Examples of organic fertilisers include compost, manure, bone meal, and seaweed. They provide essential nutrients to plants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They help improve soil structure, increase microbial activity, and reduce soil erosion. Organic fertilisers can also improve soil fertility and help plants absorb water and nutrients more effectively.

The direct introduction of pollutants (including ammonia and substances with an adverse effect on the oxygen balance) into groundwater is prohibited.

Micorrhyza fungi have postitive effect on phosphorous and microelement uptake, furthermore they have positive effect on plant protection. Under certain conditions application of micorrhyza fungi can result in reduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Reducing chemical-synthetic pesticides in agriculture is a form of pest control that seeks to reduce or eliminate the use of synthetic chemical pesticides in favor of more sustainable methods. This can include using natural pest predators, crop rotation, and other alternatives to chemical-based pesticides. These methods are often more environmentally-friendly and can lead to a reduction in the amount of residues in the environment.

Flowering strips on arable land is a form of land management where strips of flowering plants are planted alongside or within crop fields. These strips help to promote biodiversity, protect pollinators, and provide habitat and food sources for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife. They also create an attractive visual display and help to control soil erosion.

Precision agriculture (PA) is a farming management concept based on observing, measuring and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. PA is also sometimes referred to as precision farming. Precision agriculture uses information technology (IT) to ensure that crops and soil receive exactly what they need for optimum health and productivity.

Erosion prevention strips (Contour buffer strips) are strips of grass or a mixture of grasses and legumes that run along the contour of a farmed field. They alternate down the slope of a field with wider cropped strips.

Irrigation is used to supplement water during dry periods, increase productivity of coarse soils (sandy), improve the crop quality of water-sensitive crops and reduce risk of crop loss (e.g. drip irrigation). Improving irrigation efficiency is a way of making sure that less water is wasted when watering plants and crops. This can be achieved through better water management techniques and technology, such as the use of sprinklers, drip tubing, and other water-saving devices. This can help conserve water resources, reduce water bills, and improve crop yields.