Substantiated flax growing - Using precision agriculture in fiber flax

General introduction

The Flaxsense 2.0 project demonstrated that precision agriculture and data-driven insights can make flax production more efficient and sustainable. By using satellite imagery, flax growers were able to monitor their fields objectively and remotely. This made it possible to better substantiate cultivation decisions and optimize the management of flax fields without having to conduct constant physical field inspections.

Research approach

The researchers adapted an existing growth model to translate satellite data into useful predictions and preventive actions. Field trials were used to refine image interpretation (crop sensing) so that the images could be used to make concrete cultivation decisions, such as whether or not to inhibit growth. The approach was tested in close collaboration with flax growers, taking into account the distribution and variation of plots that is typical for the sector.

Relevance/Valorisation

The flax sector is characterized by the wide distribution of plots whose location changes regularly. This creates a physical challenge for growers to monitor all fields regularly. The use of precision farming techniques to monitor and make cultivation decisions on flax plots is a step forward in efficiency and sustainability. With this project, we demonstrated that flax fields can be monitored remotely, but that concrete cultivation adjustments are only possible with further digitization of the flax sector.