How Do Farmers Increase Their Crop Yield?

When it comes to agricultural priorities, crop yield ranks at the top of the list. So how do farmers increase their crop yield? The advancement of modern technology has helped tremendously in this area.

Both farming equipment and planting techniques have grown and evolved in recent years. These changes help boost results while cutting a farmer’s workload. The DTN suite of solutions is a farmer’s best friend. Reach out today for a demo of these powerful agronomic tools. 

 

Crop Yield Can Make or Break a Farmer

When you earn your living as a grower of any sort, you rely on adequate yield to make a profit in a competitive market. But you also work in a world that exists somewhat at the whim of Mother Nature. Storms, pests, and diseases can catch you unprepared and impact your bottom line.

Maintaining the sustainability of your crops is crucial, but you may need some help to do it successfully.

Using assistive technology, you can improve efficiency, get ahead of the game, and maximize your cultivation results.

 

How Do Farmers Increase Their Crop Yield? 

Farming is an ancient craft that relies heavily on generational knowledge. And it is dependent on a symbiotic relationship with the earth.

And now, farming is also high-tech. New apps and software help today’s farmers track, analyze, and assess their fields for the best crop yield possible. 

Using age-old wisdom combined with modern technological advances, farmers have a high chance of success. Here are some of the top ways, old and new, that farmers increase their crop yield.

 

Take Time to Learn the Land

Successful crop production demands a thorough understanding of your soil. Analysis and insights gleaned over the years will help you plan your field rotation and fertilizing needs. 

Nutrients, hours of sunlight, and growing degree days (GDD) all come into play as you schedule the care of your crops. Planting, irrigation, and fertilizer or pesticide application will rely on soil conditions during the growing season. 

In each stage of the development of your plants, you will need to pay attention to the soil conditions. Soil testing should give you actionable insights into the best practices for your crops.

By doing your research or hiring an expert, you avoid the risk of wasting precious time and resources. Farmers enjoy a higher yield and more significant profit when they know their land intimately.

 

Work With the Weather 

Much of farming is out of your control. Extreme weather, the daily average temperature, and the life cycle of plants and insects are not under your authority. 

And yet you need to work cooperatively with all of these components. Working with the weather instead of guessing what will come next is powerful for your agribusiness. And technology is the most straightforward way to get there. 

Utilize software solutions that provide hyper-local forecasts and data so that you feel prepared for what is coming your way. And when you add data from GDD calculations, you have the robust information you need to boost your crop yield.

Accurate and timely weather data helps you make decisions regarding:

• Planting
• Irrigation
• Fertilizing

 

Plant High-Quality Seed

Farming is not a low-cost business, so it makes sense that owners and farm managers are looking to limit their expenditures. But when hoping to increase your crop yield, avoid the mistake of cutting costs on seeds. 

You will reap what you sow, and low-quality seeds are likely to give you an unfortunate result. 

It is better to streamline your farming operations in other ways rather than choosing inferior seeds.  

 

Know Your Pests

Insects and rodents are a part of a farmer’s life, and they all serve a purpose in the local ecosystem. But you still have to pay attention to them to protect your crops.

Old-time lore and wisdom are valuable to those in agribusiness. But technology is also a vital tool. Scouting your fields in person is important but time-consuming. 

With new software options, you can allow the tech to do some of that work for you. Solutions that look at pest counts help you stay ahead of the growth and development of animals that cause problems.

Irrigate Strategically

Wasting resources can be the death knell for a farming operation. Seed, fertilizer, pesticide, and water are too valuable to use without a plan. 

Technology offers the opportunity to utilize hyper-local weather forecasts. With this compelling data, farmers can plan their watering and irrigation needs with confidence. 

Apps and software for farming operations allow you to choose your irrigation days wisely. You can maximize your resources while giving your crops the best chance to thrive. Rather than guessing if rain is coming or not, you can plan with certainty. 

 

Watch for Disease

When scouting for pests in your fields, be sure to keep an eye out for signs of disease or poor health in your crops. Viral, bacterial, and fungal microbes can invade your plants and wreak havoc. Some common problems to watch for include:

• Powdery Mildew
• Leaf Rust
• Leaf Discoloration
• Cankers
• Bacterial Leaf Spots

As with any agricultural concern, catching an issue sooner is better than later. The longer something goes untreated, the more likely it is to create significant damage. You risk losing an entire crop without swift action.

 

Rotate and Alternate

Pay attention to the health of your soil as you prepare your fields. It’s crucial to consider rotating or alternating crops from year to year to help keep the soil at its best. 

Nutrient depletion will limit a crop’s success, so soil analysis before planting is essential. Crop rotation provides diversity in what you demand of the earth each year and yields better results.

 

How Can We Help?

So how do farmers increase their crop yield? With planning, strategy, generational knowledge, and technology. 

DTN provides you with the tools you need to boost your bottom line. We support farmers in every aspect of crop management to help protect their overall yield. 

We can help you to cut your workload while still growing your yield and profit. With DTN technology in hand, you can prepare strategically for your fields’ needs and enjoy excellent results. Reduce the money spent on wasted resources and keep those dollars in your bank account. Get in touch today for a free demonstration.