Horticulture and Field Crop Software Key Terms

Some key terms for using software in horticulture and crop management

By J. Stoltzfus, writer/programmer, LOCAL CITIZEN

It may seem incongruous, but in fact, new technologies are sometimes instrumental in developing natural processes like plant growth. Lots of advances in software and related documentation technologies help to optimize plant growth in landscaping, crop and nursery settings. These basic key terms for horticulture and field crop software will help show how high-tech systems work in a variety of ways to assist growers in monitoring all kinds of greenery over time.

Crop mapping

Crop mapping is the practice of developing advanced cartographic data for the planting of various crops. This covers a range of technology including software that will show the locations of specific crops and status of land use for a given region.
Try: Find more about crop mapping at Gisat.

GPS

GPS or Global Positioning Systems is a new technology that is allowing for much more precision on crop mapping software and other applications related to horticulture software. GPS uses satellites to provide information on specific locations anywhere on earth.
Try: See more about GPS at this tutorial guide from Trimble. For an example of GPS in agriculture, check out GPS crop systems.

Crop insurance

Another use for field crop software is in the realm of crop insurance. Technology can also help with information that will enhance the kind of crop insurance contracts available to farmers and similar businesses such as the community farms and co-ops popping up around the country.
Try: See more on GPS and technology for crop insurance at Agrimaps.

Nursery software

Then there is nursery software for high-tech horticulture: nursery software is what greenhouse and nursery managers use to develop good solutions for growing conditions and monitor the plants inside a facility. Diverse nursery software programs provide a lot of helping hands for those who work the plant locations on a daily basis.
Try: See a range of nursery software at NurseryMan.

CAD

CAD or Computer Aided Design is a technology for helping humans use advanced digital prototypes with "modeling." This can apply to a wide variety of industries including landscaping and horticulture planning.
Try: See more info on computer aided design on Apparel Search.

Turfgrass management

Turfgrass management is the practice of helping provide best growth and solutions for sod and grass landscaping projects. This is a field where different project require different applications, some involving GPS and other horticulture software.
Try: Get more on turfgrass management at this resource from the Texas Cooperative Extension. See more on technology for turfgrass at Pace Turf.