RE SEARCH look through the clouds ‘O ne of the biggest limitations in monitoring the potato crop during the growing season by satellite images are the clouds. Many initiatives to monitor the crop with satellites have failed because of the cloud cover that’s too often present in Western Europe’, says Jürgen Decloedt of VITO. However, with the new CropSar it’s possible to monitor the potato crop with satellites on cloudy days’, said the VITO researcher at the recently-held World Potato Congress in Peru. ‘This is done by combining optical and radar data from the Sentine -1 and -2 satellites. We then calculate these computer images with a unique algorithm, so that we can now also monitor potato crops on cloudy days. With this patented technique, we can now collect data from the crop every five days to get a good picture of the crop’s development’, says Decloedt. ‘In addition, we’re using CropSar to examine the possibility of scaling up the measurements from field to plant level. This will enable us to fine-tune the WatchITgrow geo-information platform that many Belgian potato growers use’, explains the VITO researcher. ‘In order to offer the best possible measurement, we’re now working on perfecting on the system further. This innovation will be available during the growth season of 2019 through the WatchITgrow application. We’re also seeking cooperation with other (potato) organisations in order to roll out the project worldwide. This is possible because the Sentinel satellites are active worldwide’, says Decloedt. Belgian potato sector initiative WatchITgrow is the Belgian digital platform that combines different types of data. It is an initiative of the Belgian potato sector united in Belgapom, with the support of Belspo, CRA-W, the University of Liège, VITO and the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium KMI. The aim of the tool is to help potato growers optimise their crop on the available surface area, so that they can continue to do business in a sustainable way. By combining satellite images, drone images, weather data, soil data and harvest prediction models, the Belgian potato sector can quickly and efficiently obtain the right information about one or more potato plots via the web tool. Not only external data, but also data from the potato industry or potato growers, such as yield sampling results and quality determination, cultivation management practices and such like can be centralised in this geo-information platform. This makes it easy for users to determine, for example, which part of the production area has the highest yields or where a potato variety is doing well or less well and what the possible cause could be. Increasing efficiency Through the input of data and knowledge from the sector, it is possible to finetune the monitoring system and systematically improve it. Thanks to additional field data, the application will continue to improve season after season and make it more and more accurate. The instrument could also form the basis for further applications for precision agriculture, such as disease prevention and fertilisation. The Belgian potato sector also wants to grow further, and it hopes that WatchITgrow will be able to achieve this in a sustainable way by making optimum use of natural raw materials. The web tool can be consulted via the website www.watchitgrow.be. ● Jaap Delleman (Photo: © ESA-ATG Medialab) Potato World 2018 • number 3 13 Pagina 12
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