Boslandbouw, agroforestry
Digital tools to monitor your crops
Establishing an agroforestry plot is a decision that should not be taken lightly, but requires careful consideration. After all, it is a long-term investment.
In “Doorbomen”, the bi-monthly newsletter about Inagro's agroforestry plot, you can find out why Inagro is committed to agroforestry and what you need to take into account before you start planting your agroforestry plot. You can find out which digital tools you can use to support your planting here.
What is the impact of trees on the water management of nearby crops? How can you best maintain the tree strips? ... Inagro uses various technologies and digital tools to answer these questions. Below, we discuss the measuring equipment and various sensors that are used to collect data.
1. Weather stations: insight into the microclimate
To gain a better understanding of the prevailing climate on our agroforestry plot, we installed weather stations that monitor various factors, such as:
- air temperature
- wind speed
- wind direction
- amount of light
- and precipitation.
Collecting this data helps to obtain a detailed picture of the climatic conditions on the plot.
2. Pyranometers: impact of tree shade
Sufficient light is important for crop growth and development. However, shade can lead to growth delay and loss of production.
To gain more insight into the impact of tree shade on the production of neighbouring crops and to determine which crops are best suited to the agroforestry system, specific light sensors, known as pyranometers, are used. These sensors are positioned so that they measure the light intensity on both sides of a row of trees throughout the day. This allows the shade effect of the trees to be mapped.
3. Soil moisture sensors: water quantity and consumption
Crops grow optimally when there is sufficient water and nutrients in the soil.
Soil moisture sensors allow us to measure the amount of moisture in the soil and determine how much water the trees extract. By combining this data with crop yield measurements, we can calculate the impact of the trees on crop production between the rows of trees.
4. Dendrometers: monitoring tree growth speed
In an agroforestry system, the tree component is just as important as the crops grown between the trees. This is because trees are a source of long-term income.
We use dendrometers to monitor the growth speed of trees. By combining this data with data from other sensors, we can estimate when a tree is ready for harvesting and also gain insight into what causes trees to not grow as expected.
5. Laboratory analyses: soil and crop research
Sensors in the field are one of the tools that help us collect data and formulate answers to research questions, but laboratory analyses also provide a great deal of useful information.
- By analysing soil samples, we gain insight into the amount of carbon, nutrients present in the soil and the pH value. Together with the soil texture, this information provides a picture of how absorbable all nutrients are for the crop or tree.
- Crop analyses show whether the crop is absorbing the necessary nutrients to achieve maximum yields with minimal environmental impact.
6. Biodiversity monitoring: a rich ecosystem
Focusing on agroforestry not only helps to provide the agribusiness with diverse income streams, it also helps to make agricultural plots more resilient for the future. The agroforestry system contributes to biodiversity by creating habitats for beneficial organisms and enhancing pollination. Stimulating this biodiversity is not only beneficial for the farmer but for the entire ecosystem.
To gain a better understanding of the effect of agroforestry on biodiversity, it is monitored on the plot using pot traps, window traps and sensors that count and identify bees and pest insects, for example, in order to minimise or even completely avoid the use of chemical pesticides.
The use of wildlife cameras and sensors that can detect and identify bird sounds provides further insight into the fauna present on the plot.
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