Sentera announces the launch of its closed beta for field-edge plant population analysis, available through its AgVault software platform. Plant population analytics assess where plants are and are not growing, calculates an emergence measurement, and visually represents results with a colored heat map. The new tool addresses a fundamental issue the agriculture industry faces: producing accurate in-field emergence estimations as early and as efficiently as possible. Early, accurate plant estimates enable agronomists, crop consultants and growers to make decisions during critical growth stages that help positively influence yields.
“We want to help our customers take action while in the field, as soon as possible, and this closed beta does just that,” says Kris Poulson, vice president of agriculture for Sentera. “Giving growers instant, field-edge insights about which plants have emerged and which have not helps them make informed re-plant decisions and determine if the best course of action is to dig up, chemically kill or interseed areas with limited or no plant growth.”
In-Field Analysis
Producing an emergence heat map in the field is seamless and easy for users in Sentera’s closed beta. Users simply scout a field using a drone-based sensor, upload the data into AgVault, identify crop specifications, select a boundary to analyze, and press “Go.” AgVault quickly performs algorithms to produce a color-coded plant population analysis map of the respective boundary, and the result is instantly delivered to the user in AgVault. All these features are available at the field edge without an internet connection or upload, and to AgVault web and cloud users once the data is uploaded.
“Showing customers where they have plants and where they don’t for every section of a crop—with field-edge immediacy—helps improve forecasting, yield and accounting models,” says Reid Plumbo, director of product management for Sentera. “The launch of this beta is especially relevant this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, and we are eager to partner with users to prove out our plant population analysis capability, gain insight, receive feedback, and make the tool even more robust.”
Expanding Crops
The closed beta focuses on V4 through V6 stage corn, with additional crops in development.
What’s Next?
Sentera is rolling the emergence capability out to a selected group of AgVault customers. Customers interested in learning more or participating are invited to contact Sentera at beta@sentera.com