Agricultural Mobile Apps: A review and update of scouting apps
This article provides a review and update of some of the current “scouting apps” for agriculture. This section presents apps that can assist farmers in preparing maps, scouting, taking soil samples (geo-referencing the sampling points), calculating areas, measuring distances, and getting information about the soil type, among several other features.
While these apps can often help you make quick decisions in the field from planting to harvest operations, always make sure to check with your crop consultants, agents, and Extension specialists since this kind of specific information may vary depending on the soil types, yield potential, and environments.
Stay tuned for more in this series of annual reviews and updates on Ag-Apps from our KSUCROPS Crop Production team and the K-State Department of Agronomy! More updated lists of Ag-Apps will be included in the next several editions of the Agronomy eUpdates.
NOTE: These apps are all available as of the time this article is published. Alterations or changes in availability could occur, affecting the ability to access these apps.
For this series of articles, we have grouped Ag-Apps into the following 10 classifications:
- 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.
3. Scouting Apps
These Apps are primarily utilized for scouting purposes or for geo-positioning (soil sampling, recording notes, soil types, etc.).
|
MOBILE AGRICULTURAL APPS – REVIEW from KSUCROPS ©Kansas State University |
|||
|
Scouting Apps |
|||
|
Name of App and Source |
Picture |
Brief description and cost |
Download |
|
Ag PhD Soil Test
AG-PHD |
|
With this app you will receive high quality lab results and personalized recommendations from Ag PhD experts. FREE |
|
|
Connected Farm Scout
Trimble Navigation Limited |
|
The scout app uses your phone's GPS for mapping field boundaries, marking flags, and entering scouting information for points, lines, and polygon areas. FREE |
|
|
eCropScout 2.0 Prairie Farm Club, Inc. |
|
This app is designed to be used by crop consultants, farmers, seed dealers, agronomists, and Ag Professionals to deliver real-time crop condition maps. FREE |
|
|
MOBILE AGRICULTURAL APPS – REVIEW from KSUCROPS ©Kansas State University |
|||
|
Scouting Apps |
|||
|
Name of App and Source |
Picture |
Brief description and cost |
Download |
|
iCropTrak
|
|
This app is user customizable, capable collecting and editing vectors, drone imagery, equipment, and more. It is a consultant in your pocket. $1-5 |
|
|
Pioneer Field360 Notes
|
|
This app pinpoints your field location via satellite imagery so you can record notes or photos on the spot. Organize your crop scouting information to save or share. FREE |
|
|
AgPlots
August Knecht |
|
This app offers a simple method of calculating and storing grain yields for your corn, soybean, and wheat plots. Simply punch the numbers into your phone to compare and save. FREE |
|
|
ArcGIS ESRI |
|
With this app use your current location and discover information about what you see. Also measure distances and areas of interest, and share maps with others. FREE |
|
|
FieldNET Mobile
Lindsay Sales & Service, LLC |
|
With this app, you can remotely manage your pivots, laterals, drip/micro-irrigation systems, and pumps. Users can quickly monitor and control irrigation equipment. FREE |
|
|
SoilWeb
CA Soil Resource Lab |
|
This app retrieves official soil series descriptions and summaries of soil types associated with the current geographic location. FREE |
|
ScanControl
DuPont Pioneer
|
MOBILE AGRICULTURAL APPS – REVIEW from KSUCROPS ©Kansas State University |
|||
|
Scouting Apps |
|||
|
Name of App and Source |
Picture |
Brief description and cost |
Download |
|
Sirrus
|
|
This app allows you to create field boundaries, soil sample, scout your crops, record field operations, create recommendations, check weather conditions, and graph rainfall estimates. FREE |
|
|
Wolf-GIS APEX
|
|
This app provides a simple way to map, manage (customize drawings, measure distance, GIS functions) and display information from any location. FREE |
|
|
AgDNA
AgDNA |
|
AgDNA features include: farm planning, record keeping, boundary mapping, live equipment tracking, scouting observations, and data sharing. FREE |
|
SST Software, Inc.
Wolf-Tek, Inc.
Each of the next seven 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
