In the ever-evolving agricultural landscape, oil palm plantations play a crucial role in meeting the global demand for vegetable oil. As the industry faces numerous challenges, a groundbreaking solution has emerged to revolutionize plantation management: Farmonaut’s Satellite-AI Based Farm Intelligence system for automated oil palm tree detection and mapping.
INTRODUCTION Farmonaut is collaborating with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on a unique study to evaluate the impact of agricultural extension services on soybean production in Maharashtra, India. This study focuses on a large solvent extractor that works with organic, sustainable, and conventional farmers, in Latur, Osmanabad, Bid, and nearby districts. Through this collaboration with IFPRI, Farmonaut is providing remote sensing technology to help digitize agricultural plots. This project supports IFPRI’s broader research goals that demonstrate the use of remote sensing in impact evaluation research, as credible proxies for survey based data. PROJECT SCALE Farmonaut utilizes remote sensing data to measure a variety of parameters, such as crop health, soil moisture, and growth patterns. OBJECTIVES The study aims to assess the effectiveness of agricultural extension services in improving soybean production. Key areas of interest include: Cost of Cultivation Agricultural Yields and Profits Price Realization Recognition of the Processor Information-Seeking Behavior Use and Perception of Advisory Services Adoption of Sustainable Practices OUR CONTRIBUTION Through this collaboration with IFPRI, Farmonaut is providing remote sensing technology to help digitize agricultural plots and generate periodic estimates of crop health, yields and soil conditions for multiple years. Our platform offers valuable data-driven solutions, leading to better efficiency, increased productivity, and improved livelihoods for farmers. Here’s why it matters: Precision Farming: Tailored techniques mean optimized resource use, higher yields, and less waste. Data-Driven Decisions: Real-time information helps farmers manage crops, pests, and irrigation more effectively. Crop Health Monitoring: Continuous monitoring detects issues early, allowing for quick action to minimize losses. Sustainable Practices: Armed with data and insights, farmers can adopt sustainable farming practices, ensuring the long-term viability of their operations and contributing to environmental conservation. CONCLUSION This unique collaboration between Farmonaut and IFPRI provides a test case for using remote sensing data to assess the impact of agricultural extension services on soybean productivity, profitability and sustainability.
Black Citrus Aphid Toxoptera aurantii Caused by insect Factors – a- Distortions of twigs and inflorescences and curling, rolling or folding of leaves. b- Leaves turn black in presence of honeydew that is readily colonizes by sooty mold. c- Downgraded quality of fruits and poor vigor in trees. d- Tristeza virus is a possible infection. Hosting body – Citrus and Mango https://indoorgardenook.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bugs-on-indoor-plants/ Identifiable traits It affects all citrus trees in all growth stages. The aphids have long piercing mouthparts which they use to suck the sap on shoot tips and young leaves, which leads to distortions of twigs and inflorescences and the curling, rolling or folding of leaves. They feed on sweet plant phloem, they excrete excess sugar in the form of honeydew. When this honeydew falls onto the leaves, it readily colonized by sooty mold fungi which make the leaves turn black. In result, this limits photosynthesis and has consequences on the vigor of the tree and the quality of the fruits. Tristeza virus is other causing factor which causes damage to citrus trees, which aphids carry. Inducing factors Symptoms are caused by the adults and nymphs of the black citrus aphid Toxoptera aurantii. They often co-infect citrus trees and other cultures together with another related species of aphid T. citicida, commonly known as brown citrus aphid. Adult aphids exist in two forms, either with or without wings. Winged aphids can fly a distance of up to 30 km and are found when they become too numerous or when food supply reduces or becomes limited. They have a dull brownish to black body with a length of about 1.5 mm. These black citrus aphids have a simple life cycle and a high reproduction rate that can lead to rapid and severe infestations. Favourable temperature range for development, survival and reproduction varies from 9.4 to 30.4 ˚C. The honeydew attracts ants, which in turn protect the aphids from natural predators. They are considered a vector of the Tristeza disease of citrus and the zucchini yellow mosaic virus. Organic remedies Predators include many species of hoverflies, lacewings and ladybirds that can attack aphids at all stages of development. Two commonly used coccinellids against this pest are adults and larvae of Cycloneda sanguinea and Hippodamia convergens. Some culture-specific parasitic wasps may also be available for citrus in the area of interest. The fungus Neozygites fresensii can be important check on aphid populations during humid weather. Ants can be killed with boiling water or with solutions containing natural pyrethrins. Insecticidial solutions can also be used against aphids, for example solutions based on soap, detergent soap, neem or chilli extracts. Chemical remedies If available, always consider an integrated approach with preventive measures together with biological treatments. Several insecticides can be used to control aphids but their effectiveness depends on a timely application, for example before the leaves curl or populations become too large. Commercial products containing petroleum oil can be sprayed on the underside of leaves, so that they directly contact the aphids. Synthetic pyrethroids are also likely to be effective against aphids and ants, but can have a negative impact on natural enemies, too. Extra remediesSelect seeds from healthy plants or from certified sources. If possible, plant in an area free of this pest, and isolated geographically. Keep monitoring fields regularly to assess the incidence of a disease or pest and determine their severity. Remove infected plant parts or hand-pick the aphids manually. Check weeds in and around the fields. Do not over-water or over-fertilize. Control ant populations that protect aphids with sticky bands or nets. Do not transport citrus trees between different farms or areas. Control the use of pesticides, as those can affect negatively the populations of beneficial insects. Prune the branches of your trees or remove the bottom leaves or your plants to favour the ventilation of the canopy. We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
v Research Collaboration with Chippy Pushpangathan on a DST funded project in Precision Agriculture At Farmonaut, we believe if any research is being conducted for the benefit of the farming community, we must stand together to make it’s benefits reach to as many farmers as possible. And, we are always delighted to work with researchers to help the farming community with providing the latest technologies. One such latest collaboration which we feel is going to contribute to the farming community is with Chippy Pushpangathan. Chippy Pushpangathan is a Research Scholar and is pursuing her PhD at the Department of Geography, School of Earth Sciences, Central University of Karnataka. Her broad area of research covers crop yield modelling using geospatial technology. Her research topic is broadly centered around: “Potential of Precision Agriculture Using Geospatial Information For Kharif Cultivation in Kalaburagi District, Karnataka, India” The research work is a crop centric work wherein the main focus will be towards identifying the potential of precision agriculture using geospatial information (more specifically the possibility of microwave remote sensing) for rain-fed pigeon pea (Kharif Tur Dal). The research work will focus on the farming land in and around Kalaburagi district and will focus on Tur Dal of this Kharif season of 2019 (June to November). This research work is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST, Govt. of India) under INSPIRE Scheme. Chippy aspires to make her research outcomes to reach the ground level farming community, hence this collaboration serves the common objective of both her and Farmonaut. Before the actual field work starts in June 2019, our combined objective is to ideate and gather kalaburagi district centric useful information as well as identifying the further technological needs which Farmonaut may be able to provide depending upon the feasibility (apart from our already publicly usable systems) once the actual work starts. At Farmonaut, we believe that by combining the on-field research study conducted by Chippy Pushpangathan when combined with technological tools provided by Farmonaut as well the access to the growing farming community of Farmonaut, the entire research will surely provide a better insight to the farmers of Kalaburagi district and possibly the research work will be replicable to other parts of the country as well. In the coming months, we will keep updating everyone of the progress of the ongoing research collaboration on atleast a monthly basis. Farmonaut currently provides two satellite imagery based products, namely: Satellite Based Crop Health Monitoring System For Farmers (Android): Farmonaut provides satellite based crop health monitoring system, through which farmers can select their field and identify the regions of the field at which the crop growth is not normal. Upon identifying that region of their fields, they can simply pay a visit to that part of the field and identify if the problem has already started. If it has not, the farmer can take preventive remedies by applying more fertilizers, plant growth regulators etc. If the problem has already started, they can simply explain their problem to Farmonaut’s crop issue identification system and get real-time govt. approved remedies. Satellite Imagery Access For Research System (Android and Website) For research purposes (non-farming usage), Farmonaut provides access to satellite imagery of any place around the through our website and android app. The satellite imagery is provided at the cheapest market rates. Accessing satellite imagery through our website is a fairly simple process: Step 1: Select the date range (From and To Date) Step 2: Select Imagery bands required (You can select from 13 raw bands and 7 Farmonaut Processed bands) Step 3: Select the area on the Map for which you are requesting the imagery for. Step 4: Submit this request… wait for a few seconds Step 5: Select specific days for which you need the imagery for. Step 6: Make payment and voila! You will receive the imagery automatically into your email address within the displayed time interval. The app is available for android on Google PlayStore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farmonaut.android We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
Hairy Caterpillars Hairy caterpillars EUPROCTIS FRATERNA Factors – a- Defoliation of the mango trees caused by reddish brown, hairy larvae with single tufts on each end. b- Young pupil larvae are covered with whitish hair. c- The moth is bright yellow with darker lines and black dots on forewings. Hosting body – MANGO Identifiable traits In the early stage of hairy caterpillars have long white hairs coming from the flanks of their body. Their main feed is leaves of mango trees in groups and several other tree species. The developed/mature larvae feature a red head covered with white hair and a reddish brown body. Larvae pupate in a cocoon of hairs on branches and leaves and also have a single tuft in the head. The moths are bright yellow and has forewings with transversal lines which are dark and black dots near the edge of wings. Inducing factors They are similar to two species of caterpillars with similar features which damages leaves and defoliation. The females lay yellow, circular, flat eggs in clusters on the lower surface of leaves. Their laid eggs are suspicious because they are covered with yellow brown hair and scales over them. These larvae hatch generally between 4-10 days. They feed for about 13 to 29 days on tree leaves until they convert to a cocoon. In between 9-25 days in a silk cocoon the adult moth hatches. During winter season the larvae may perform dormancy. Organic remedies Burning torches can be used to terminate/decimate them as they feed in tight groups. Sprays of neem (Azadirachta indica L.) and dhatura (datura stramonium L.) extracts controls caterpillar populations and reduces it. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is a microbial pesticide which kills the caterpillar by crippling the gut. Chemical remedies If available, always consider an integrated approach with preventive measures together with biological treatments. Insecticide sprays containing cyphermethrin, deltamethrin, fluvalinat are effective against hairy caterpillars. Extra remedies Regular monitoring of the orchard for eggs, larvae, moths and cocoons. Find, collect and destroy the caterpillars, cocoons and egg clusters in minor cases. Adult moths can be controlled using light traps. We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
American Bollworm American bollworm has been identified to attack more than 180 host plants. These host plants include beans, maize, tomato, legumes etc. It has caused so much damage to the fields and has developed resistance to so many insectides that it has been popularly given the name of a global pest. In the moth phase they are brownish yellow in color with a black spot on the fore wings and a broad black patch on the margin of the hind wing. Larvae are green when they are young and their color varies when the larvae grows in size. The eggs are laid only singly on the leaves and are white in color. They hatch in a time span of 3 to 4 days. The new larvae feed on the leaves after hatching and attach the near by bolls by keeping half of the body inside the bolls and half of its body outside. The larval period is of around 25 days long whereas the pupal period is around 10 days long. Some of the damage symptoms are as follows: The squares which are affected by the American bollworm shows flaring up with its brackets spread out. Holes can be seen on the squares by the internal tissues which are being fed by the larval and hollowed by it. We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
Voice-Text Based Crop Issue Identification In India, several thousand tonnes of crop gets destroyed every year due to incorrect usage of pesticides, insecticides, plant growth regulators etc. Whenever there is a disease outbreak in a farmer’s field, the first person whom they usually look forward to is the local vendor from whom they purchase their farming products like seeds, spraying equipments etc. In India, officially you need to have at least a certain relevant degree before you can start your own fertilizer shop. However, these norms are hardly practiced. These local vendors have their own interest in mind, since they need to sell the products of the companies from whom they purchase the chemicals in bulk. Thus, more often than not, with no practical scientific knowledge, they end up suggesting completely incorrect solutions to the farmer. One of the major aims of Farmonaut is to help farmers figure out what the problem is with their crop, and also provide government approved solutions for the problems identified by our system. Though the government has released a scientifically approved database, however the database is highly user inaccessible. The government database is in the form of document file of hundreds of pages. It is really unreasonable to expect a farmer to download this large document and scroll through hundreds of pages to identify what the potential problem is with their crop. At Farmonaut, the first thing we did is to sanitize this government approved database, and present it to the farmers in a user-friendly form. The segregated database is accessible through our android app and contains government approved information about 100+ crops, 300+ problems and 150+ chemicals (pesticides, insecticides, plant growth regulators etc.). The database includes very specific details of chemical usage such as Quantity, Formulation (g/ml)% and Dilution in water (L). Read the following article to know in-depth about the Farmonaut Database: https://farmonaut.com/blogs/farming-blogs/why-farmonaut-database-is-one-of-the-most-trusted-database/ At Farmonaut, we jumped one step ahead and added another layer of user friendliness to access our database. We have designed a system which is capable of identifying potential problems with a farmer’s crop by just their voice or text explanation. The voice-text based crop issue identification system is available on our Android app. A farmer can simply explain what issues he/she is facing with his crop and our system in real-time will identify the potential problem with the crop as well as the government approved solutions attached with the results as well. Given the vastness of India and a large number of languages being spoken in the Indian subcontinent, we can not expect our system to work only in one specific language. Hence, we have created our system to work in more than 50 languages. The farmers can ask their problems in a language of their choice and can still get government approved solutions in real time. The following section below shows a few examples of how Farmonaut’s voice-text based crop issue identification system works. The Voice-text based crop issue identification system works as a chat bot, wherein farmers can ask for the solution to their problems just like someone will message another user on a messaging service. The farmer can simply type their query into the text box or can speak about their query by clicking on the speech button. Once the speech of the farmer is finished or if farmer clicks on the send button after his text information about the problem is ready, the system will process their speech/text to identify the crop as well the problem being faced by the farmer. Upon correct identification of the problem, the system will return all the government approved solutions from which the farmer can select one of his choice. For example, in the case above, the Farmer has asked in hindi the following query: Asked Query: आम की फसल की उपज बढ़ाने के कुछ उपाय बताइये| अभी एकदम नयी फसल है| Our system identifies within seconds that the user is looking for ways to enhance yield of their mango crop and hence, provides all the government approved solutions to the user about chemicals measures to be used to enhance the yield of his/her mango produce. Some other examples of the Voice-text Based Crop Issue Identification queries are listed below. There may be times when the voice-text based crop issue identification system is not able to identify the problem properly. There are 4 such cases which we want to highlight. Case 1: When our system has correctly identified the crop as well as the problem being faced by the crop, the system still gives the farmer an option to post his query on to the discussion forum to further proof check about his problem from the community. Case 2: When our system has correctly identified the crop of the query but not problem, the farmer can post this unsuccessful query onto the discussion forum to get remedies from the farming community itself. Case 3: When our system has not been able to identify both crop as well as the problem, and if the farmer feels that his/her query was correct, they can post this voice-text crop issue identification query on to the discussion forum to get remedies from the farming community. A detailed article about the discussion forum and Farmonaut database will be available soon. The app is available for android on Google PlayStore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farmonaut.android We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index – NDVI It has been quite a long time since scientists and agronomists are using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to monitor and examine health of crops. The extent and benefits of NDVI have increased manifold with so many earth mapping satellites being launched every year to monitor earth’s surface in different wavelengths. To calculated NDVI index, we need imagery from two different wavelengths, namely Near Infrared and Red band imagery. And the NDVI ratio is calculated as: NDVI = (NIR – RED)/(NIR + RED) From this formula, it is apparent that the density of vegetation (NDVI) at a given point in the generated image is equal to the difference in the intensities of reflected light in the red and infrared range divided by the sum of these two intensities. The value of the NDVI index can range from -1.0 to 1.0. The negative NDVI values are mainly due to clouds, snow and water. The values of NDVI close to zero are mainly due to rocks and bare soil. NDVI values ranging from 0 to 0.1 correspond to sand, snow or empty areas of rocks. NDVI values ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 represent shrubs and meadows, and NDVI values ranging from 0.6 to 0.8 indicate tropical and temperate forests. In simple words, NDVI measures status of plant health based on how plants reflect light at certain frequencies. Though we cannot perceive it with our eyes, everything around us (including plants) reflect wavelengths of light in visible and non-visible spectrum. Taking into account how much amount of a certain wavelength is reflected, we can access the current status of plants. We know that plants have chlorophyll which absorb sunlight for photosynthesis .Chlorophyll immensely absorbs visible light (0.4 to 0.7 microns) for photosynthesis, whereas structure of cells of leaves immensely reflect near-infrared light (0.7 to 1.1 microns). If a plant is healthy, it will have large amount of chlorophyll on it’s leaves and will absorb good amount of visible light from 0.4 to 0.7 microns and reflect quite less of it and vice-versa. Farmonaut’s Crop Health Monitoring system is provided to farmers and monitors how much sunlight is reflected by the plants. We take into account this basic principle in identifying crop health status of an agricultural land. For research purposes (non-farming usage), Farmonaut provides access to satellite imagery of any place around the through our android app. For agricultural purposes, Farmonaut provides satellite based crop health monitoring system on our android app, through which farmers can select their field and identify the regions of the field at which the crop growth is not normal. Upon identifying that region of their fields, they can simply pay a visit to that part of the field and identify if the problem has already started. If it has not, the farmer can take preventive remedies by applying more fertilizers, plant growth regulators etc. If the problem has already started, they can simply explain their problem to Farmonaut’s crop issue identification system and get real-time govt. approved remedies. The satellite imagery is updated every 2-5 days and has a resolution of 10 meters which is 2 times better than google maps in rural India. The app is available for android on Google PlayStore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farmonaut.android We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
Aphids Aphids basically belong to Aphidoidea Family. They are small sap-sucking insects like greenfly and blackfly. However, they are not harmful to crops in early stage or in small or moderate numbers. Aphid’s infest severe damage to leaves and shoots and also causes damage to plant growth. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. They bring additional infections as their honeydew secrete and also transmit viruses from one plant to another over a prolonged period. Hosts: Aphids has a vast list of plants which it affects. Few of them are Almond, apple, cabbage, cotton, garlic, grape, lettuce, maize, mango, millet etc. They are very small in size (0.5 mm to 2 mm) and delicate bodied insects with long legs and antennae. They are found in multiple colours like brown, yellow, red or black depending on which species they belong to. They grow underside clusters of young leaves and shoot tips. They suck out fluids from the tissues with the help of their long mouth parts to tender them. In late spring or early summer, their invasion slows down as their population diminishes naturally due to climate change and increase in natural enemies. Several other species carry plant viruses which can lead to the development of other forms of diseases. Biological remedies Few predators are there which can help in controlling the population of aphids are ladybugs, lacewings, soldier beetles and parasitoid wasps. These natural killers of aphids will take care of the sucking insects in field conditions. You can use soft insecticidal soap solution or solutions depending on plant oils in case of mild infestation. Aphids are very sensitive to fungal diseases when it is humid around them. A simple spray of water can remove them from infected plants. Chemical methods of control Always try to consider biological treatments if available instead of approaching for chemical solutions straightaway. Stem application with flonicamid and water @ 1:20 ratio at 30, 45, 60 days after sowing (DAS) can be planned. Fipronil 2ml or thiamethoxam @ 0.2g or flonicamid @ 0.3g or acetamiprid @ 0.2g (per liter of water) can also be used as chemical composition in prevention against aphids. We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
Remote Sensing Blogs Normalized Difference Vegetation Index – NDVI It has been quite a long time since scientists and agronomists are using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to monitor and examine health of crops. The extent and benefits of NDVI have increased manifold with so many earth mapping satellites being launched every year to monitor earth’s surface in different wavelengths. Applications of Satellite Imagery Bands - Part 1: Coastal Aerosol (B1), Blue (B2), Green (B3), and Red (B4) Since water absorbs and scatters light, oceans and lakes tend to look dark or lack detail on True color satellite images, especially in the murky waters near coastlines. Coastal Aerosol (B1) imagery allows for coastal water and ocean color observation, as it reflects blues and violets, and displays subtle differences in the color of water. Read More… Applications of Satellite Imagery Bands — Part 2: Vegetation Red Edge (B5, B6, B7, B8A) The Red Edge band is located between the Red band (B4) and the NIR band (B8), without overlap. In a typical spectral response of green vegetation, the Red Edge band covers the portion of the spectrum where reflectance drastically increases from the red towards the NIR regions. Read More… Applications of Satellite Imagery Bands — Part 3: Near Infrared (B8), Water Vapor (B9), and Shortwave Infrared (B10, B11, B12) Near Infrared images can help us identify and monitor a plant’s health. At Farmonaut, we have developed our own Crop Health Monitoring system which processes Near Infrared Imagery in combination with several other spectral images to provide a health color-map of an agricultural land. Read More… Impact Analysis of Volcano-Induced-Tsunami in Indonesia Using Farmonaut A tsunami swept across Indonesia’s islands of Sumatra and Java the night of December 22, just before 9:30 p.m. local time. There was no notice for the wall of water, which left devastation in its wake. At least 400 are confirmed to be dead and more than 800 are injured. Because of such a large impact of this event, we wanted to analyze the extent of devastation in the coastal region of the affected areas. Read More… Analyzing Water Level of Lakes of Udaipur (India) Using Farmonaut To understand how the condition of lakes change over a course of a year, we shifted our focus to some of the famous lakes in India. Udaipur is known for its beautiful lakes, so we decided to analyze four famous lakes of udaipur, namely: Dudh Talai, Lake Pichola, Swaroop Sagar and, Fateh Sagar Lake. Read More… Mapping Volcanic Activity Using Farmonaut We mapped Mount Veniaminof’s volcanic activity using the short wave infrared satellite imagery accessed through our system. Recently, Mount Veniaminof had been in the news for it’s extreme volcanic activity wherein it ended up spewing ash as high as three miles in the air. The activity was so intense, that the region near it was declared as a no-fly zone. Read More… Time Lapse of Californian Fire The spread and extent of fire in California is massive and devastating. So, we decide to have a look on the imagery of the last month. The spread and extent of fire in California is massive and devastating. So, we decide to have a look on the imagery of the last month over a region in California and have created a Time Lapse of the same. Read More… Satellite Based Crop Health Monitoring Farmonaut provides satellite based crop health monitoring system, through which farmers can select their field and identify the regions of the field at which the crop growth is not normal. Upon identifying that region of their fields, they can simply pay a visit to that part of the field and identify if the problem has already started. If it has not, the farmer can take preventive remedies by applying more fertilizers, plant growth regulators etc. If the problem has already started, they can simply explain their problem to Farmonaut’s crop issue identification system and get real-time govt. approved remedies. Read More…
Alternaria Blight The symptoms of Alternaria blight usually occur in summer and are depicted by the presence of angular or circular spots of around 4 to 7 mm in diameter. In some bad cases, the spot become 3 cm in diameter. Black lesions are also present on leaves. Leaves can wither and fall on severe infestation. Minute brown or black spots can appear on immature fruits. The spots are about 3 mm in diameter and are surrounded by a red tint on mature fruits. This infection reduces the quality of the produce. The symptoms arise are due to a group of three different fungi of alternaria. During favorable conditions, they come out of hibernation from the soil and produce spores that are carried by the rain or wind. Nutrient deficiency, high humidity, high temperatures, dew formation and sunny days are some of the important factors that are responsible for the development of alternaria. Some of the characteristics of alternaria can be confused with that of Botryosphaeria dothidea. Rub the leaves to tell if the late blight is caused by alternaria alternata or not. Biological Remedies Apply a paste of garlic on the leaves and fruits for biological control . You can also use solutions based on Bacillus subtilis which is found to be lethal to fungus. One should always start treatment against this disease before the fruits get ripened in the early summer. Chemical Methods of Control Product enriched with entities such as copper, maneb, thiophanate-methyl are found to be effective in curing alternaria. The timing of the application of the treatment, age of the tree, and the quantity of the dose determine the effectiveness of the treatment. To promote aeration of plantation, one must not plant the trees closely. Proper care should be taken to remove weeds from the field. As soon as the first symptoms are visible, one must cut the affected parts and burn them. At the time of infancy, prune the trees to get fully aerated fields.During fruit ripening, one must not irrigate the fields using sprinklers. Once the crop is cut from the field, destroy the remaining harvest by burning it. Above all try not to compost parts of these plants as they may carry over this disease to another season. We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
Achaea Janata – Castor Semilooper Castor Semilooper (achaea janata) is widely distributed throughout India. Though castor is the principal host plant for them, it has also been found to be predating on tea, sugarcane, pomegranate, banana, rose, grape fruits, citrus etc. Occurence From field observations it is identified that the castor semilooper moths are found after the showers in the month of may, and the eggs are found only in the month of June/July. Extent of Damage The first and early second instar semiloopers scrape the epidermis of the leaf, whereas the late second instar larvae make holes, and fourth and the fifth instar larvae defoliate the whole plant in case of heavy infestation. The proboscis of the adult is adapted for piercing and sucking the juice of fruits. The adult semiloopers create large patches of decay in ripe banana, create brown circular area surrounding the puncture, and make them prematurely fall and rot. Biology a. Egg Freshly laid eggs range in size from 0.85 mm to 0.9 mm in diameter and are light green in color and dome shaped with ridges all around and the lower surface is concave. b. 1st instar The 1st instar semilooper is transparent in color with a half green anterior. It measures around 0.8 cm. The duration of this stage lasts from 2 to 3 days. c. Molting The freshly molted semilooper has tender and pale skin and after molting, the larva eats its casted skin. d. 2nd instar The 2nd instar semilooper measures 0.65 to 0.87 cm and is covered with white powdery substance with black head. e. Adult Moth Adult moths are light brown and even sometimes deep grey in color with white and brown patches on the wings. They measure around 2.45 cm in length and 5.6 cm in wing span. Adult moths have long proboscis through which they suck the fruit juice. Natural enemies The hymenopteran egg parasite of genus Telenomus is observed to keep castor semilooper in control. Similarly, branconid parasite Microplitis ephiusae is observed to be the natural control of the larvae. Field application of Bacillus thuringiensis spores have been found to be extremely lethal to the castor semilooper larvae. Chemical Control Measures 1. Malathion can be sprayed thrice from flowering at three weeks interval. If a large number of semiloopers are observed, then spray 2ml/l of chloropyriphos in water. Other Preventive Measures It is recommended to build open space for birds which can feed on larvae. Once the harvest is ready, till the land to expose the semiloopers to predators. We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!!
Friday, 23 Feb 2024 SPREADING SUCCESS IN COTTON FIELDS WITH REINHART SINCE 1788 Introduction Farmonaut’s collaboration with Reinhart in cotton fields has brought about a significant transformation in agricultural practices. By leveraging advanced technology and fostering collaboration, we have grown more cotton and do it more efficiently. Reinhart shared positive feedback about teaming up with Farmonaut in the cottonfields. It’s fascinating to hear how this partnership is making farming better. Let’s take a closer look and see how Reinhart’s success story, together with Farmonaut, is changing the cotton industry and positively impacting businesses and farmers’ lives Worked Across 22 District of Telangana We worked across 22 districts of Telangana for Reinhart, a global merchant specializing in cotton and agricultural products with a long history dating back to 1788. Reinhart has been a major player in the global cotton trade for over two hundred years. This partnership represents a significant advancement in improving efficiency and accuracy in both cotton farming and trading. Shared Positive Reviews Accurate Data The accuracy rate exceeds 90% compared to government and other sources. Timely Alerts Timely alert about crop stress and its impact on production. Insightful Comparisons Comparison with the previous year’s data proved helpful. Positive Feedback Overall satisfaction with the provided information. Innovating Cotton Farming with Farmonaut: Farmonaut introduces transformative solutions, empowering cotton industry with actionable insights to navigate obstacles and achieve greater success. Here’s how Farmonaut addresses key challenges in the cotton industry: 1. Understanding Expected Cotton Acreage and yield: Farmonaut utilizes machine learning algorithms for precise prediction of cotton yield and estimation of acreage. It analyzes vast datasets, incorporating historical crop performance and environmental variables. The platform offers accurate insights to optimize cultivation practices for cotton farming. Benefit from improved resource allocation, risk management, and sustainability in crop production. 2. Supply Chain Requirements: Farmonaut analyzes supply chain management issues such as transportation, storage, and distribution of cotton. It forecasts cotton demand accurately to ensure sufficient supply chain readiness. Farmonaut optimizes transportation routes to minimize costs and maximize efficiency. The platform recommends storage solutions tailored to the specific needs of cotton farmers. It streamlines distribution channels, ensuring timely delivery and maximizing market reach. 3. RATES Production Costs: Property taxes contribute to overall production expenses, including land acquisition and maintenance. Government Policies: Changes in property tax regulations necessitate proactive adjustments to business strategies for cotton producers. Conclusion Farmonaut and Reinhart’s partnership has changed the way the cotton industry works. With accurate advice, smart use of data, and a focus on keeping crops healthy, we’re helping farmers grow better cotton and making a real difference in the world of agriculture.
Effortless Field Mapping with FARMONAUT’S AI BOUNDARY DETECTION Lead the Way Introduction We understand the significance of supporting farmers and addressing their needs. We recognize the daily challenges faced by farmers and are dedicated to providing solutions to simplify their lives. Farmonaut’s product has solution that provides farmers with a seamless solution for mapping their farms. By simply inputting one coordinate, the system automates the entire mapping process, eliminating the need for manual efforts. Challenges Faced by Farmers Uncertainty regarding land boundaries Managing large-scale operations involving multiple neighboring farms Time-consuming manual process, especially for large farms. Automated Farm Mapping with us Our system offers farmers a hassle-free solution for mapping your farms. With just one coordinate input, the system automates the mapping process, eliminating the need for manual efforts. Improving Efficiency We increase overall farm management efficiency, allowing farmers to focus on other critical tasks. Improving Efficiency We increase overall farm management efficiency, allowing farmers to focus on other critical tasks. Conclusion Farmonaut’s automated farm mapping feature transforms farm management with its exceptional efficiency, accuracy, and convenience. This innovative solution simplifies tasks, saves time and resources, and offers reliable insights into farm layout, empowering farmers to make informed decisions and boost productivity.
Angular Leaf Spot Angular Leaf Spots are very easy to distinguish since the plants suffering from this develop leaf spots that follow leaf veins. It is caused by bacteria such as Pseudomonas syringae (cucurbits) and Xanthomonas fragariae (strawberries) that survive in seeds and plant debris. Symptoms Once water soaked-spots appear on leaves, they spread rapidly when conditions get moist and ambient temperature is around 24-28 degree celcius. These spots expands upto a point they fill the area between leaf veins completely, but do not cross each other. Occasionally, older spots dry out and tear apart, leaving a hole at its place. On fruits, the spots appear as perfectly circular and water soaked and comparatively smaller than those on the leaves. The spots become powdery white and may crack the fruit open once the disease spreads. This contaminates fruits and causes fruit rot. Biological Remedies Use garlic solutions and hot water for around 30 minutes on infected seeding material. Use dehumidifiers in greenhouses to control night time humidity. It has also been found out that Pentaphage is lethal to Pseudomonas syringae, and organic copper fnngicides can slow the spread of the disease. Chemical Control Measures Pesticides containing copper hydroxide are most effective when the temperature is above 24 degree celcuis and the foliage is wet and are sprayed on a weekly basis. It is NOT recommended to spray the field on a hot day since it can seriously harm the plants. Other Preventive Measures Use furrow irrigation instead of sprinklers and avoid overwatering the field. Furthermore, do not sow crops in the field that have had cucurbits for at least 2 years. We will keep posting about any such informative information on to our blogs, to help as many people as possible. Farmonaut is built upon a vision to bridge the technological gap between farmers and strives to bring state-of-the-art technologies in the hands of each and every farmer. For any queries/suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. We have some more interesting articles coming up soon. Stay tuned! Wait!! Before that…
Farmonaut’s Technology: A Key Player in Crop Production Loss Prevention INTRODUCTION Agriculture plays a vital role in the United States, with the country being a significant exporter of food. In 2017, there were 2.04 million farms covering 900 million acres, with an average size of 441 acres. American agriculture is highly mechanized, requiring fewer farmers per square kilometer. It’s widespread across regions like California’s Central Valley, the Great Plains, the Corn Belt, and the Wheat Belt, each known for specific crops. For instance, the Central Valley produces fruits and vegetables, while the Southern states historically grow cotton, tobacco, and grains. Florida leads globally in citrus production. The Impact of Crop Losses in the United States Crop losses pose a significant challenge in the US, particularly evident in 2023 when weather disasters alone caused over $21 billion in losses. These disasters have been wreaking havoc globally for the past three decades, with the US experiencing an average annual loss of $3.8 billion. Such disasters can have far-reaching consequences, leading to a decline in agricultural production by up to 15% of the total agricultural GDP. In 2023, various weather-related events such as droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, heavy rains, floods, and storms collectively resulted in over $21.9 billion in crop and rangeland losses. Specifically, droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires contributed $16.59 billion to these losses, while heavy rains, floods, and storms accounted for $3.99 billion. Source https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Yield-loss-share-of-pests-diseases-and-weeds-in-wheat-maize-cotton-and-rice-crops-2_fig1_340718449 Additionally, pests and diseases also contribute to crop losses, with an estimated 20-40% of losses worldwide attributed to them. These losses impact essential crops like cereals and pulses and result in a significant economic burden, costing the global economy $290 billion. Even with advanced technologies and high farming sustainability practices, pests and diseases regularly attack farms and cause economic loss. For example, between 10% to 25% of annual crop production loss in the US is due to pests and diseases, resulting in a yearly economic loss of $30 to $100 billion. The impact of crop loss from pest infestation and disease outbreaks does not stop at the farm gate. Such economic loss hurts food security, rural livelihoods, and the general economy. Farmers face the consequences of pest infestation and disease. Source – https://twitter.com/croplifeeu/status/940848765354856450?lang=el Farmonaut’s Innovations in Crop Loss Management: A Breakthrough for Farmers Early identification and observation: Using satellite imagery and AI driven analytics Farmonaut enables detection and monitoring of pest infestations, disease outbreaks and environmental stresses. By offering real time insights farmers can take steps to address risks and minimize crop losses. Accurate agriculture practices: Farmonaut promotes accurate agriculture techniques such as rate application, precision irrigation and crop monitoring. By optimizing resource utilization and reducing input wastage farmers can enhance crop efficiency and resilience to pressures. Data powered Decision Making :Through its data analytics tools Farmonaut analyzes data to provide actionable insights and predictive models for farmers. Informed decision making empowers farmers to refine crop management practices and manage risks effectively. Maximize yields. Weather Forecasting: Farmonaut provides accurate weather forecasts, helping farmers anticipate and prepare for adverse weather conditions that could affect crops. Integrated Pest Management (IPM); Farmonaut advocates for integrated pest management approaches that prioritize measures, biological control methods and cultural practices over pesticides. By decreasing reliance on pesticides and endorsing pest control methods farmers can minimize impact while safeguarding crop health. Crop Health Monitoring: Farmonaut continuously monitors crop health and growth, enabling farmers to identify and address problems before they become serious problems..Farmers can enhance the health and productivity of their crops by boosting soil fertility, managing nutrients effectively and strengthening crop resilience. Overall, Farmonaut’s suite of solutions helps farmers overcome challenges and improve resilience in the face of evolving agricultural landscapes and market dynamics. By leveraging technology, data, and innovation, Farmonaut supports the sustainability and prosperity of the agriculture sector in the USA. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.
In the realm of agriculture, the fusion of innovation and tradition paves the way for sustainable growth and prosperity. Recently, Ankur Omar, the CEO of Farmonaut, embarked on a journey to explore the innovative practices and technological advancements at Troforte Innovations Pty Ltd. This collaboration between two pioneers in their respective fields promises to revolutionize the agricultural landscape. Join us as we delve into Ankur Omar’s inspiring visit to Troforte Innovations Pty Ltd. Glimpses of Innovation: Exploring Troforte Innovations Pty. Ltd. Troforte Innovations Pty Ltd is a leading, market oriented, Research & Development driven and a progressive company specializing in producing and supplying a huge range of plastic and fertilizer products that caters to the needs of our customers from Landscape, Nursery, Garden, Forestry, Agriculture and Horticulture industries. One of the most striking aspects of the visit was the palpable commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. From microbial based fertilizers to advanced bio-fertilizers, Troforte demonstrated a holistic approach to farming that prioritized both productivity and planet-conscious practices. Ankur Omar’s keen interest in Troforte’s sustainability initiatives underscored the shared values and vision for a greener future. The discussions during the visit revolved around the integration of Farmonaut’s cutting-edge technologies, particularly in carbon emission monitoring, into Troforte’s operations. This strategic partnership represents a significant step towards enhancing sustainability efforts and reducing carbon footprint within the agricultural sector. Ankur Omar’s insights and expertise in agricultural technology were invaluable in shaping future strategies and initiatives at Troforte. Troforte and Farmonaut’s Collaborative Vision for Sustainable Farming Troforte Innovations and Farmonaut initiated discussions with Mr. Sunil of Sunpalm Australia in July 2019, leading to a pivotal meeting on November 21, 2019, where plans for a partnership were set into motion. Despite challenges like the Australian Bush Fire and the Covid-19 pandemic, the partnership remained resilient. In November 2021, the deal was finalized, aiming to deliver innovative solutions to the agricultural sector in Australia and New Zealand. The collective goal is to monitor a million hectares of farmland in the region over the next two years, leveraging technology to enhance crop quality and minimize losses. Gratitude is extended to Mr. Sunil for his unwavering belief in the technology’s potential to drive positive change in farming. Troforte Innovations, a subsidiary of Troforte Innovations, has utilized Farmonaut’s services to provide satellite-based crop monitoring in Australia and New Zealand. The partnership aims to map over 1 million hectares by the end of the current year, focusing on monitoring crop health, water stress, evapotranspiration, soil organic carbon, and weather forecasting. This collaboration between Farmonaut and Troforte Innovations highlights a significant step towards enhancing agricultural practices through advanced satellite technology, benefiting farmers and promoting sustainable farming methods Proposed Partnerships: Troforte Innovations and Farmonaut Forge Forward Revolutionizing Park Management: Farmonaut’s Contribution Western Australia boasts approximately 7,000 parks, pivotal for recreation and environmental preservation. Effective park management is imperative for their sustainability and community benefits.Farmonaut can provide valuable assistance through various means. Farmonaut employs remote sensing to analyze park ecosystems, offering insights on vegetation, soil moisture, and land use. This data guides informed resource allocation, enhancing efficiency and improving park health. Farmonaut’s remote sensing technology proactively monitors and detects environmental threats, minimizing losses like pollution or habitat destruction. It enables optimized decision-making for improved environmental management and cost savings in park operations. Benefits of Remote Sensing Technology Efficient data collection over various scales and resolutions. Quick analysis of data compared to on-site collection methods. Large area coverage for monitoring vast geographical regions. Accessibility to inaccessible or hazardous areas for analysis. Cost-effective alternative to traditional land survey methods. Piloting Troforte Products in Pondicherry and Surrounding Regions Troforte aims to introduce its product into Pondicherry and neighboring regions, and Farmonaut can play a crucial role in facilitating this entry. Leveraging Farmonaut’s expertise and network in agricultural technology, they can assist Troforte in various ways: Market Analysis: Farmonaut can conduct market analysis to understand the local agricultural landscape, identify key players, assess competition, and determine the demand for Troforte’s products in Pondicherry and nearby areas. Strategic Partnerships: Farmonaut can help establish strategic partnerships with local Agricultural Universities/Institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and farming communities to conduct research trials, promote Troforte’s products, and build trust among farmers and government agencies. Demonstration Plots: Farmonaut can assist in setting up demonstration plots to showcase the effectiveness of Troforte’s CRFs compared to traditional fertilizers, providing visual evidence of the benefits to farmers in Pondicherry and nearby regions. Targeted Marketing: Farmonaut can help in targeted marketing efforts by identifying high-value crop regions, engaging with progressive farmers, and promoting Troforte’s products effectively to the right audience. Carbon Conscious: Pioneering a Future Focused on Emission Reduction Generating carbon credits in Kenya through sustainable farming practices, Farmonaut technologies, and Troforte fertilizer entails a collaborative effort. Farmonaut’s remote sensing technology can monitor farm activities, ensuring adherence to sustainable practices, while Troforte’s fertilizer promotes soil health. By implementing these solutions, farmers can sequester carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to climate mitigation efforts, earning carbon credits in the process.
Thursday, 21 March 2024 Effortless Field Mapping with FARMONAUT’S AI BOUNDARY DETECTION Lead the Way Introduction We understand the significance of supporting farmers and addressing their needs. We recognize the daily challenges faced by farmers and are dedicated to providing solutions to simplify their lives. Farmonaut’s product has solution that provides farmers with a seamless solution for mapping their farms. By simply inputting one coordinate, the system automates the entire mapping process, eliminating the need for manual efforts. Challenges Faced by Farmers Uncertainty regarding land boundaries Managing large-scale operations involving multiple neighboring farms Time-consuming manual process, especially for large farms. Automated Farm Mapping with us Our system offers farmers a hassle-free solution for mapping your farms. With just one coordinate input, the system automates the mapping process, eliminating the need for manual efforts. Improving Efficiency We increase overall farm management efficiency, allowing farmers to focus on other critical tasks. Improving Efficiency We increase overall farm management efficiency, allowing farmers to focus on other critical tasks. Conclusion Farmonaut’s automated farm mapping feature transforms farm management with its exceptional efficiency, accuracy, and convenience. This innovative solution simplifies tasks, saves time and resources, and offers reliable insights into farm layout, empowering farmers to make informed decisions and boost productivity.
