Dr Carmen Teixeira1, Mrs Deepika Fernando2, Mr Graeme Ogle2, Dr Francis Gacenga3, Dr Duc Anh An-Vo4, Professor Derrick Moot1
1Dryland Pastures Research Group, Field Research Centre Department of Agricultural Sciences, Lincoln University, 2Map of Ag NZ (Rezare Systems), 3Research Infrastructure, University of Southern Queensland, 4UniSQ College, University of Southern Queensland,
Biography:
Dr Carmen completed her PhD and Post-doc at Lincoln University Canterbury, New Zealand where she researched the phenology and hardseededness of subterranean clover cultivars. She is an expert in forage pasture growth, subterranean clover phenology, seed health and technology. Currently she is part of the dryland pasture research group engaged on the national database (https://agyields.co.nz) project.
Abstract:
Free open access crop performance data platforms can assist farming, consulting and decision making in the agricultural sector in various ways. For instance, by storing and organising large amounts of data from different sources including scientific publications, weather stations and various sensing methods (satellite and drones) agricultural datasets provide benchmarks and insights on temporal and spatial patterns of crop performance. Data may be compiled under diverse formats and standards according to stakeholder needs and sectoral interests. Various stakeholders may be targeted, from public and private sectors, including farmers, traders, researchers, educators, consultants, and businesses. Information may include crop yields, plant phenology, pest and disease incidence, irrigation and fertilization amount which can serve as input for data-driven decision support systems (DSS) to help farmers optimize their operations. In this review we compiled currently available data platforms that support the agricultural sector in Australia and New Zealand. The qualitative data was gathered from the internet using non-probability sample method and English key words in advance search query. We then focused on the details of two most recent online platforms: the AgReFed (Australia) and AgYields (New Zealand) databases. These solutions focus on enhancing discoverability of trusted, reusable, and analysis-ready agricultural research data to support farmers, rural professionals, and researchers for pasture and cropping systems. Results illustrate current state of this tools and highlight future areas of focus to support more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.