
BioScout is an Australian company with a specialized device designed to identify and quantify disease spores. Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network members are conducting a multi-year project with BioScout to sample this revolutionary technology and help improve Bioscout for use in Western Canadian agriculture.
Network members will work to: (1) determine how BioScout can aid in the fungicide decision-making process in Western Canada regarding identification of disease, quantification of spore load and prescribe timing of fungicide application; (2) identify how BioScout contributes to enhancing pesticide stewardship within Western Canadian agriculture operations; and (3) evaluate the impact of the BioScout device within various crop types available across the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network.
The BioScout unit provides a unique opportunity to increase the efficiency of fungicide application. The data collected by the device allows producers to make effective and sustainable spraying decisions, which are reflective of field conditions.
- Year 1
- Monitor disease levels using scouter observations and tissue samples.
- Provide BioScout with user feedback on device hardware and platform.
- Year 2
- Validation of disease levels reported by the device.
- Provide a data set and scouting observations to BioScout for further definition of the disease identification algorithm.
Funders/Partners: BioScout, CAAIN, Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network members