App matches nitrogen to yield

A Geraldton-based agronomist has come up with a handy new app to allow growers to better match nitrogen to their yield potential.

Planfarm consultant Richard Quinlan said he believed the app was the first produced especially for WA conditions.

"It's a highly portable app so growers will better be able to estimate their yield potential, and agronomists and researchers will be able to use it while they travel around talking to their clients," he said.

Farmers enter their soil type, organic carbon percentage, nitrate and ammonium levels, rotation history and fertiliser already applied to the paddock to work out the best nitrogen input for yield and grain protein content.

You can also input rainfall data from the previous year to calculate yield potential.

The app, which can be used for wheat, barley and canola crops, has been produced by Planfarm with funding from the Council of Grain Growers Organisations.

Mr Quinlan said farmers could use it on site and save a screen shot for their records.

"Initially there was a program from the Department of Agriculture called 'select your nitrogen' and that's a very comprehensive nitrogen tool to estimate requirements for your potential of crops," he said.

But it's a fairly complex system.

"What we wanted was to have a much more portable, user-friendly system to make nitrogen decisions," Mr Quinlan said.

It is expected to be available at the Apple iTunes store by early next month.