Agroclimate Mobile Apps: Helping Growers Reduce Climate Risk in the Southeast USA.

The recent expansion of mobile phones in agricultural areas is causing a revolution in the way information is provided to farmers around the world. There has been considerable interest in the potential role mobile phones play in the marketing of agricultural outputs and also in providing information with the potential to help increase production and reduce risks. Mobile phones are an effective way to reach farmers at the time decisions are made in the field. With this idea in mind, researches at University of Florida, U.S.A. are developing solutions delivered via mobile phones. The AgroClimate mobile app is designed to help farmers in southeastern USA with their planting strategies by delivering valuable weather and crop development information. Beyond the basic functionality of allowing users to check recent observed weather data in their area, the app allows producers to register their farms and fields to receive specific information related to the planted crop, planting date and soil type. The Strawberry Advisory System app was developed  to help strawberry producers in central Florida minimize risks and better manage fungicide applications to prevent Anthracnose and Botrytis infections. The app allows producers to select stations they want to receive notifications when the model detects a potential infection risk according to environmental conditions. Producers can then receive specific fungicide recommendations based on their crop development stage and simulated disease risk level. The information provided by the AgroClimate apps can help producers improve management practices and reduce production risk in accordance to their specific field, crop, and weather conditions. The AgroClimate and the Strawberry Advisory System apps are currently available for download in mobile devices with iOS and Android operating systems through the official stores App Store® and Google Play®.