Understanding what is happening below the soil surface can help farmers make more precise agronomic decisions and better target their input investments. New tools are allowing growers and agronomists to collect more detailed soil data that can reveal variability across a field and highlight issues that may limit yield potential.
EarthOptics is one company working to provide that kind of insight. Gunnar Bodvarrsson with EarthOptics says the company focuses on gathering detailed soil intelligence data to help farmers and agronomists better understand what is happening across their fields.
Bodvarrsson says the company collects soil data using a combination of scanning technology and traditional sampling methods. That information is used to generate high-resolution maps that show variability in fertility levels and other soil characteristics across the field.
Those maps can help farmers identify areas where fertility adjustments may be needed or where compaction could be limiting crop performance. Having that level of detail allows growers to better target management practices and focus their efforts where they can have the greatest impact.
Bodvarrsson says that type of data-driven approach is especially important in today’s farm economy, when producers are closely evaluating input costs and looking for ways to ensure each investment provides a return.
In addition to fertility and compaction mapping, EarthOptics also provides soil biology testing that can identify potential pest or disease pressures as well as beneficial organisms in the soil. The company also works with carbon and sustainability programs that rely on soil sampling and analysis.
Bodvarrsson says the goal is to provide farmers with the information they need to make informed decisions that improve productivity while managing input costs more effectively across the farm.
