DCM: Digital Crop Management for Glasshouse Pests & Diseases

This project develops an integrated, digital crop management approach for the early detection of glasshouse pests and diseases, utilising the latest diagnostic technology and agronomic knowledge in a commercial production setting. The objective is to co-develop a crop scouting service, informed by spectral diagnostics that can detect the early establishment of yield impacting events, and integrate directly with agronomic input providers. Substantial losses can be prevented through early curative action, improving conventional and biological control efficacy. The work will catalyse grower, agronomy, technology and plant science advancements to progress the envelope of digital agronomy services and sustainable glasshouse production.

The change of scope proposed is for the agronomy partner to no longer supply the digital platform and move from the market exploitation focal point to a reseller and data user of a reviewed platform. The project will then focus on the diagnostics and redirect what is left of the agronomy platform resources into integrating with existing market leaders of farm management platforms (SourceAG, Koppert IPM - both currently used by the growers in the consortium). Fargro will remain as a champion of the technology, an independent trials assessor and provide crop walk support for commercial trials.

The project deliverables in respect of the digital platform will be limited to the MVP of the Grofar App, which was delivered earlier in the project.