Reis explains how he developed the tool: “The crop performance parameters are reported on a relative scale rather than as absolute values. The baseline is considered the ‘normal’ yield or growth, which is the average predicted yield based on 40 years of weather simulations using current soybean cultivars.”
The predictions are based on the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) model developed at the University of Florida and adapted to Missouri by Reis’ research group.
The reports will help growers make management decisions primarily during the current growing season, including “deciding whether to invest in late-season crop management such as prophylactic fungicide application or the use of micronutrients during seed filling,” said Reis.
“The reports also predict harvest maturity, which can help farmers plan the harvest operation in advance.”
Reports are available for the five regions of the state – northeast, northwest, central, southwest and southeast – and are updated twice a month at https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/soybean.
Source : missouri.edu