GrainsWest Fall 2019

Tech 2019 grainswest.com 27 are underperforming and could be augmented or abandoned to reduce unwarranted expenses,” said Berg. “Any remote sensing tool with a high enough spatial resolution to get you that information quickly and support decision-making is one I would consider part of precision agriculture.” ONWARD AND UPWARD While the current capabilities of RCM are intriguing, there may be more excitement on the horizon. “This is still in the research phase, but we just finished a project looking at integrating data from RADARSAT satellites and RCM to assess the level of disease risk for crops,” saidMcNairn. “We focused on diseases where the risk is elevated by wet soils that stay wet for an extended period. One of our main subjects was sclerotinia in canola, as it’s a pathogen that requires wet conditions to survive.” Because sclerotinia feeds on the petals of canola, plant growth stage is also a key risk factor. McNairn collaborated in industry-led research to develop a methodology to identify growth stage from radar satellite images. In another example of data layering, the team then developed a web tool that could integrate information on soil conditions, cropping history and growth stage to generate a risk level for sclerotinia. “This is a prototype rather than a live web tool, but it’s an illustration of how satellite data can aid producers,” said McNairn. “If soil conditions look risky and your canola is about to flower, you’ll know to visit that area. We developed these methods using satellites available today from Canada, Germany and the United States. With RCM… the plan is to transition these operations and research activities to the new satellites.” For farmers wanting to capitalize on remote sensing and wondering if satellites or drones are the best option, it depends. “The effectiveness of a drone stems in part from the particular sensor it’s carrying,” said Berg. “Many sensors available for drones can be used for very high-resolution mapping, but height restrictions can limit the area mapped. Whereas a satellite can map hundreds of fields in one pass, you would require numerous drones and hours of flying time to do the same. On the other hand, drones can map at 10 centimetres resolution versus 10 metres or more for satellites. Therefore, you may get information on potential yield loss at the lower resolution derived from satellites, but you won’t knowwhy it’s happening. Ultimately, the approach depends on your situation and priorities.” RCM is a welcome addition for farmers and McNairn sees RCM as something to celebrate. “A lot of Canadians don’t realize that as a collective, our governments, academia and aerospace industry are leaders in radar technology, and have been for decades,” she said. “We produce top-notch satellites, and our engineering is world-class. Many countries are using satellites, but especially in terms of agricultural applications, our radar satellites are special. Their ability to see through clouds makes them unique from an operational perspective, and their sensitivity to water, soil and plant structure is exceptional. The launch of RCM should make all Canadians proud of our entire aerospace community.” Research scientist Heather McNairn (third from left) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada colleagues are pictured herewith one of three RADARSAT satellites launched in June.