This harvest, while you’re waiting in the queue or filling up the fuel tank, why not take some time and check out some apps that are now available and can help making your on-farm decisions easier. Keep reading to get excited about the apps currently in development or let us know if you’re looking for an app to help your farm business. 

Tools currently available:

Soil water
This tool shows the amount of soil water which has accumulated from the start of summer (1 November) and is available to the plant. It can be used as a tool to assist growers to make decisions throughout the season.

Rainfall to date
Rainfall to date graphs show the amount of rainfall accumulated from the start of the grain growing season compared to historical averages and can be used as a tool in the seasonal decision making process.

Extreme weather events
Using the department’s extensive weather station network, this tool provides real time information about the location, duration and severity of potential frost and heat stress events to help grain growers manage accordingly and reduce their financial impact.

Virtual weather stations
A virtual weather station tool that provides estimates of current and historical rainfall for any location by combining data from multiple sources (weather stations and Doppler radars).

Potential yield
The potential yield tool uses seasonal rainfall and decile finishes calculated from historical data to calculate the maximum wheat yield possible in the absence of any other constraints.

Each tool’s website page has a feature which enables users to provide valuable feedback to developers who will evaluate it for future upgrades.

Tools currently in development:

Seasonal climate information automation
This tool will provide up to date information about the coming season and its potential impacts on cropping and agriculture, the new version will be more dynamic and interactive to enable growers to determine the climate information they want.

Fertiliser rate – Select your nitrogen
Select your nitrogen will take into account all major factors that affect return on investment for fertiliser application, to enable growers to make informed management decisions.

Fungicide spray
A portable tool that accounts for all major factors that affect return on investment in regards to using fungicides.

Liming
This tool will enable growers to determine the net present value of liming, post-decision assessment of effects and rates of acidification.