Enhancing Agricultural Forecasting - A Collaboration with VegNET, Bhargav Rayeni & Jane's Weather

Enhancing Agricultural Forecasting A Collaboration with VegNET and Bhargav Rayeni

In a concerted effort to improve weather forecasting for farmers in regions with limited access to Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) stations, Jane’s Weather has partnered with VegNET and agronomist Bhargav Rayeni. This collaboration aims to provide precise, hyper-local weather data to support informed agricultural decision-making.

Identifying the Challenge

Farmers in areas distant from BoM weather stations often face challenges due to a lack of accurate, localised weather information. Recognising this issue, Jessy Logan, VegNET Regional Development Officer for the Wide Bay Burnett region, initiated a project to upgrade and install weather stations on farms in these uncovered areas. This initiative seeks to bridge the weather information gap, enabling farmers to access reliable weather forecast data critical for their operations.

Introducing a Test Case

As a test case, Jessy introduced Bhargav Rayeni, an agronomist with extensive experience in pest management and crop health, to Jane’s Weather. Bhargav, who grows corn and ginger on his property near Gympie, Queensland, has been instrumental in combating pests like the fall armyworm in the ginger industry.

His expertise and firsthand experience with the limitations of existing weather data made him an ideal collaborator for this project.

Collaborative Efforts and Insights

In a recent meeting, Bhargav shared valuable insights to how growers read the weather;

• Growing Degree Days (GDD)
  Bhargav emphasised the need for adjusted GDD forecast calculations, as crops like corn do not grow effectively beyond 33-35°C. He also advocated for flexible baseline GDD temperature options to accommodate various crops, such as carrots, which may require different thresholds.
• Evapotranspiration (eTo) Customisation
  Highlighting the importance of eTo in irrigation planning, Bhargav recommends integrating crop coefficients (eTc) for crop-specific calculations.
• Humidity Threshold Alerts
  He suggested implementing customisable thresholds for specific humidity levels, similar to the existing custom thresholds available for other weather variables in Jane's Weather PRO, as these will aid him in disease and pest management.
• Spray Report Functionality
  Bhargav expressed the need for feature enabling users to generate spray reports for specified date and time ranges, including data on Delta-T, wind, temperature, and inversion conditions, to streamline compliance and record-keeping.
• Custom Forecast Notifications
  The ability to set your own weather forecast notification thresholds and have them tailored to your unique microclimate is a game changer

Implementing Solutions

VegNET and Bhargav will install a weather station on the farm, this station will integrate with Jane’s Weather, providing him with an accurate, AI driven weather forecast tailored to his farm’s microclimate. This setup will enhance forecasting precision, enabling Bhargav to make informed decisions regarding irrigation, pest and disease control, spraying conditions and overall crop management.

Looking Ahead

The collaboration between Jane’s Weather, VegNET, and Bhargav Rayeni represents a significant step toward empowering farmers in weather data-scarce regions with reliable weather information. By integrating a weather station with Jane's Weather AI Forecast and customising your forecasting tools - farmers enhance productivity and sustainability with the best weather guidance at their fingertips.

About VegNET

VegNET is the national vegetable industry extension program, led by AUSVEG, with regional development officers like Jessy Logan working directly with growers to promote best practices and innovation in horticulture.

About Bhargav Rayeni

Bhargav Rayeni is an agronomist renowned for his expertise in pest management, particularly in combating the fall armyworm in the Australian ginger industry. His work has been pivotal in educating growers on pest identification and control strategies, significantly benefiting the agricultural sector.

Ready for hyper local weather insights on your farm -> Explore Jane's Weather PRO

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