Using Satellite Imagery for In-Season Variable Rate Prescriptions

Use in-season data from your fields to create variable rate maps in ‘almost’ real-time. Satellite imagery maps can show recent vegetative maps of your fields, highlighting areas with higher and lower plant health. VRAFY brings this information to you on Operations Center Web and Mobile. What you do with this information is up to you.

Early in the growing season, satellite imagery picks up the color of the soil between crop rows for the most part. With early growth stage crops (V1-V3), a vegetative index of your field may show areas of high plant health, but make sure to scout as some of this vegetation could be weeds.

If you have specific disease concerns, like Sclerotinia White Mold, you may consider creating a variable rate map to target those historically bad areas. White Mold control requires lots of management, and variable rate can help you target specific areas that need fungicides.

As the growing season continues, you may also want to utilize a vegetative map to help you capture top-end yield in areas of your field that are looking promising. If you had plans to top-dress a flat rate of Nitrogen on a corn crop, you can now target the healthiest areas of the field and add an extra 20 pounds with ease!