Free application will help producers monitor the entire canola planting cycle

Embrapa Agroenergia (DF) launched a new tool to assist canola producers in Brazil from the beginning to the end of the harvest. The Mais Canola application aims to facilitate data management of the entire oilseed production cycle, from planting to harvest, providing the producer with essential technical information that can assist in preparing the area, sowing and monitoring the plant. The person responsible for planting will also be able to enter data about stages of cultivation and harvesting, which will enable the improvement of the application, which is available free of charge, in beta version, for Android system devices. Soon, it will also be available for iOS.  

Solutions presented by the application

Among the main features of the application is the possibility of obtaining data on production in Brazil and around the world, in addition to access to Climate Risk Zoning of canola (Zarc) for ten Brazilian states. All information is accompanied by photographs of the various planting and post-planting phases and infographics with updated information from bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and National Supply Company ( Conab).

The application also provides information on the main cultivars available on the market, and a list of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) for the main weeds, pests and diseases that affect the crop.

“We inserted a calculator into the application that accurately shows the ideal quantity of seeds for the desired planting area. The sowing stage is crucial to the success of planting. If the producer makes the calculations correctly and plants in the ideal period indicated by ZARC, the chances of success at harvest time are high”, explains researcher Bruno Laviola.

On the other side of the screen, the user will be able to register their farm, enter data about the cultivar planted and monitor all stages of planting. With this data, it will be possible to generate reports and graphs on the harvests and productivity achieved by the cultivars over the years.

The application helps the producer with management. After registering an area, Mais Canola sends notifications to users during cultural treatments, such as top dressing and monitoring of certain pests and diseases.

Among other features, the producer will have access to information about courses and events, Embrapa publications, news, videos and podcasts on the subject. In the application it is also possible to clarify all users' doubts with Embrapa researchers through the Citizen Assistance Service (SAC).

Management by application: a trend in agriculture

Embrapa makes different free applications available to society, for different agricultural sectors. Among those recently launched are the SGR Mobile, for the management and genetic improvement of herds of goats and sheep (Embrapa Caprinos e Ovinos – CE), and Zarc Plantio Certo (for iOS e Android), which offers a list of ten cultivars considered suitable for each location, registered in the National Cultivar Registry (RNC), prepared by Embrapa Agricultura Digital (SP).

Some of these applications have the advantage of not requiring an internet connection to record information, which makes life easier for rural producers. In common, the idea of ​​feedback, that is, the insertion of data by rural producers, technicians and other interested parties who work in the field so that Embrapa can better understand this target audience.

Another advantage of application-based management is the replacement of paper records and spreadsheets with virtual and shared records. Some applications also have versions in other languages, such as English and Spanish, which facilitates and allows access to users from other countries, and integration with international databases.

Discover the list of applications offered by Embrapa this page.