CANBERRA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Australian farmers can now accurately forecast grain yield, thanks to new smart phone technology developed by the national science agency.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) has developed the first app to monitor grain yield through real-time paddock analytics.
The innovation, known as "Graincast," enables growers to make better-informed decisions based on soil, water and yield data.
CSIRO Principle Research Scientist Roger Lawes helped to develop the app in response to feedback from grain growers about what they needed to be more efficient.
"Having a yield forecast can help farmers with crop input management, setting yield targets, diagnosing yield constraints, risk management, marketing decisions, forward selling and more," Lawes said in a CSIRO report released on Thursday.
Farmers will be able to use the new app to manage crops and estimate yields across a single paddock or an entire farm.
The app draws on information from satellites, climate forecasts and sensors to estimate historical crop yields, yield potential and crop species.
