Agricultural Mobile Apps: A review and update of ID apps

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In recent years, several institutions have developed mobile applications (or “apps”) for tablets and smartphones with the goal of providing a service to all end users. The agricultural sector has taken a similar path, producing new apps for mobile devices (so called “Ag-Apps”) for agricultural consultants and producers with educational materials and support tools. There is an increasing interest in these “Ag-Apps” and the use of new technologies for increasing the efficiency in communicating and decision-making.

This summary provides a review and update of the current status of Ag-Apps. To check the 2014-15 summary article see: 2014-15 Ag-Apps Summary

Note: Most of the apps presented in this series of articles are free to download. Before paying for any app, please check online reviews or consult with any specialist working with that app or someone familiar with the app in order to understand its potential benefits and how it can assist you in your daily farming operation. As a general rule, an app needs to be “easy to use” and “intuitive.” Most apps do not come with a user guide or a manual. Take all these points into consideration before downloading and using apps.

Ag-Apps Classification:

For this series of articles, Ag-Apps are grouped into the following ten classifications with the goal of dividing apps by their different uses and purposes:

  • ID Apps: For identification purposes (weeds, insects, diseases, and nutrients)
  • CALC Apps: For calculating purposes (nutrient removal calculations, tank mixes, volume to spray, etc.)
  • SCOUT Apps: For scouting purposes or for geo-positioning (soil sampling, recording notes, soil types, etc.).
  • ECON Apps: For checking grain prices, market evolutions, fertilizer price trends, news and finances.
  • GUIDE Apps: For diagnosing crop production issues in the field, primarily related to field guides (crop management: insect, disease, weed, and more).
  • LIVESTOCK Apps: Apps related to the animal side, nutrition, health, and information on markets.
  • IRRIGATION Apps: Apps related to field crop irrigation and water application.
  • MACHINERY Apps: Apps for associated with agricultural equipment preparation, inventory, providing information of the machine.
  • GAG Apps: GAG (general Ag-Apps) for general use, weather-related, for meetings, for reading magazines, among several other Apps’ properties.
  • NON-AG Apps: For general use from e-readers to calculators, email, calendar, picture editing, and more.

 

This article features “ID Apps.” Each of the next nine issues of the eUpdate will feature a different group of Ag-Apps.

In summary, there are several different Ag-Apps with diverse applications and unique features that can assist key stakeholders in the farming decision making process.

 

 

1. Identification Apps (ID Apps)

These Apps are primarily utilized for identification purposes. This category can be sub-divided in different topics:

                A) Weeds, B) Insects, C) Diseases, and D) Nutrients

A) Weeds ID

These apps can help identify a weed, or search for weeds by name, region, or appearance.

MOBILE AGRICULTURAL APPS – REVIEW from KSUCROPS ©Kansas State University

ID Apps - Weeds

Name of App and Source

Picture

Brief description and cost

Download

ID Weeds

University of Missouri Extension

Search, check a list or identify weeds.

FREE

 

 

iOS

 

 Android

Ag Weed ID

Farm Progress

 

Weed identification for corn, cotton, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat (75 weeds).

FREE

 

iOS

 

 

Android

Weed Alert

PBI/Gordon Corporation

 

Identify weeds by name, by appearance, and by region.

FREE

 

iOS

 

Android

 

Web-based

Federal Noxious Weeds Key

U. S. Department of Agriculture

This app is a useful resource for seed professionals and anyone with an interest in, or a need to know about, noxious weeds.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Weed ID

Monsanto Company

 

The Weed ID app is a tool that allows you to identify and map weed pressures through a dynamic selection criteria process.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Weed ID: The Ute Guide

Grains Research and Development Corporation

This app is designed to assist growers in the identification of common weeds (Australia). Pictures at varying growth stages are presented on this app.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

 

 

 

B) Insects ID

These apps can help identify insects (pests) and beneficials, quantify insect damage, and determine insect threshold.

MOBILE AGRICULTURAL APPS – REVIEW from KSUCROPS ©Kansas State University

ID Apps - Insects

Name of App and Source

Picture

Brief description and cost

Download

Aphid Speed Scout

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Quick and easy approach to measure aphids.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Dupont Pestbook

DuPont

 

       
   
 
 

 

Designed to simplify identification of pests and beneficial insects in your fields.  

FREE

iOS

 

Western Bean Cutworm (WBC) Speed Scout

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

 

       
   
 
 

 

Speed scouting is a new method for determining whether WBC populations have reached the action threshold for treatment.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Insect ID

Grains Research and Development Corporation

Reference guide for insect pests commonly affecting broadleaf crops. Photos are provided, and each insect is described in detail.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

IPM Toolkit

University of Wisconsin Nutrient and Pest Management Program

 

Read news articles, view videos, download publications, and access pictures to aid you in adapting IPM practices.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Atlas: Insects of World

ASV Apps

Pocket handbook for anyone interested in learning about insects. It has pictures of most common insects on Earth.

FREE

iOS

 

 

 

 

C) Diseases ID

These apps can help identify a disease, or search for disease by name or picture.

MOBILE AGRICULTURAL APPS – REVIEW from KSUCROPS ©Kansas State University

ID Apps - Diseases

Name of App and Source

Picture

Brief description and cost

Download

Soybean Diseases of SD

South Dakota State University

 

This iPhone app was assembled to provide growers with easy-to-use diagnostic information for a number of major soybean diseases.

FREE

iOS

 

Cereal Disease ID

BASF

 

Cereal Disease ID app gives access to information about common diseases of cereal crops.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

DEPI Crop Disease

DEPI Crop Disease

The DEPI Crop Disease app provides quick access to current disease resistance ratings and an extensive disease image library.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Plant Health from APS

American Phytopathological Society

 

APS reference apps for plant diseases found on turfgrass and tomatoes. Mobile tools featuring photos, ID keys, and management recommendations.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

A&L Plant Disease Diagnosis

A&L Canada Laboratories, Inc.

 

This app was designed to give you the ability to diagnose disease in your crops by providing some pictures and basic information.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Veg Pest ID

Break Through Applications Pty Ltd

This app helps farmers and agricultural professionals identify pests (insects, diseases, and disorders) on vegetable crops.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

 

 

D) Nutrients ID

These Apps can help identify a nutrient deficiency, or search for a deficiency by name, picture, and field crop.

MOBILE AGRICULTURAL APPS – REVIEW from KSUCROPS ©Kansas State University

ID Apps – Nutrient Deficiencies

Name of App and Source

Picture

Brief description and cost

Download

Crop Nutrient Deficiency Photo Library

International Plant Nutrition Institute

 

A comprehensive collection of crop nutrient deficiency photos for 14 prominent crops. Text descriptions are also provided.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Potassium Gallery

International Potash Institute (IPI)

This app has quality pictures portraying potassium (K) responses to fertilizer applications and also depicting K deficiencies in different crops.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Crop Nutrient Deficiencies

AG-PHD

 

Users can search for deficiencies by nutrient type or browse photos of crops showing deficiency.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Yara CheckIT

Yara International

 

This app gives farmers a photo library to allow a simple and fast ID of possible nutrient deficiency.  Then it gives further information on how the deficiency affects that crop.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

Winter cereal nutrition

Grains Research and Development Corporation

This app is designed to help growers easily identify cereal nutritional disorders. It covers both nutrient deficiencies and toxicities.

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

KALI-TOOLBOX

K+S KALI GmbH

 

The K+S KALI GmbH app provides you with the most essential information regarding mineral fertilization (including pictures).

FREE

iOS

 

 

Android

 

Each of the next nine issues of the eUpdate will feature another classification of Ag-Apps from our KSUCROPS Crop Production team and the K-State Department of Agronomy!

 

Ignacio A. Ciampitti, Crop Production and Cropping Systems Specialist
ciampitti@ksu.edu

Jeffrey Albers, Agronomy undergraduate student in crop production, KSUCROPS Team
jjalbers@ksu.edu

 

 


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