Predicting optimum harvest times of standing crops

Abstract

A system and a method for providing farmers/producers with crop characteristic predictions for standing crops located in fields includes a central database for storing field and crop information for the crops. A weather data processor receives raw weather data from either or both of (1) a weather data service with collected weather data from a plurality of weather stations; and (2) one or more site-specific weather stations associated with a particular field whose information is in the database. The raw weather data are processed to obtain field weather parameters for entry into a crop characteristic prediction equation, and the parameters are stored in the central database. With a user interface, a crop whose information is stored in the central database is selected. A computer calculates a crop characteristic prediction for the selected field based on the crop and field information stored in the central database, including the field weather parameters in the database, and the crop characteristic prediction formula. The producer uses the prediction to determine time of harvest. In one embodiment, the crops are alfalfa crops and the crop characteristic is neutral detergent fiber content.