See how you can utilize the new Canopy Assist Tool to assess the efficacy of fertilizers and other tools for your citrus trees.
The Canopy Assist Tool should be added to your toolbox of strategies used to improve citrus tree health, such as nutrient management guidelines, plant growth regulators, trunk injections, and more, according to a UF/IFAS Tip of the Week article. For instance, the article shares how Canopy Assist was used to assess the efficacy of a fertilizer. Explore the details below.
About the Canopy Assist Tool
According to the article, “ Canopy Assist is a free program offered by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) to assess the canopy density of trees over time via digital image. By quantitatively monitoring tree canopy density over time, you can determine if the tools you are using are having a positive or negative impact and therefore make informed management decisions.
With Canopy Assist, you don’t need any special instruments or complicated operations. Since this method is based on photos taken from your smartphone, all you need is your smartphone and a selfie stick.” See do’s and don’t for taking pictures in another blog!
Gauging the Efficacy of Fertilizers
Growers can upload photos of their trees’ canopies to Canopy Assist prior to starting a fertilizer or other input or tool. Then, they would take additional pictures of the same canopies over the next few months to assess whether or not the trees are improving in growth characteristics by measuring the canopy density over time due to the treatment. The article maintains “UF/IFAS encourages growers to use this program to help with objective tree canopy assessment.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions -or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.