This addition to the Pioneer Seeds mobile app can help farmers identify crop issues
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
An update to a Pioneer Seeds app is providing farmers with the ability to quickly identify issues within a crop field.
Threat ID, powered by Plantix, can determine which disease, pest or nutrient deficiency is affecting more than 30 crops including corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum.
“A farmer can take a picture of a leaf, an insect or a nutrient deficiency and the app will diagnose it right away,” Jeremy Groeteke, Pioneer’s U.S. digital ag lead, told Farms.com.
Any farmer can download the app, create an account and start to use Threat ID.
Producers who are Pioneer customers can enter their Business Partner ID to receive more detailed information like mapping and product placement.
The Pioneer Seeds app’s total suite of products includes a yield estimator, a rate estimator and a vegetation index.
Threat ID has a catalogue of nearly 20 million photos that cover the entire life cycle of crops to help ensure the diagnosis is accurate.
And farmers can receive the photos on Facebook, Twitter, email or through a text message, Groeteke said.
Once the app identifies the issue, producers can then access agronomic advice from scientists and local Pioneer agronomists who can provide treatment recommendations.
Producers only have short windows to plant and treat crops. This app makes sure farmers are making the most of every minute, Groeteke said.
“One of the most precious resources farmers have is time,” he said. “The app immediately lets them go into decision mode and get on with their day. They can’t spend time aggravating over what the issue is in the field.”
Additionally, this type of data sharing is manageable during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Threat ID and programs like it help farmers receive the information they need while also adhering to physical distancing and other safety protocols, Groeteke said.
“One of the (issues to arise) from the pandemic is the drive for digital (services),” he said. “We’re able to deliver what I could classify as touchless agronomy to use these digital tools and share what we’ve learned and maintain safe practices.”
The app is available for free in the Apple Store and on Google Play.
You can find more ag related apps on the Farms.com apps page.