KISTERS launches new agrimet ‘Risk of damaging frost’ forecast on datasphere software platform.

PRESS RELEASE. Aachen, Germany – 20 March 2024

KISTERS, a recognised leader in environmental software solutions, today announces the global launch of the ‘Risk of damaging frost’ forecast on their ‘datasphere‘ visualisation software platform, further cementing their commitment to state-of-the-art tools for precision agriculture and environmental decision support.

This ground-breaking feature enables ‘datasphere’ subscribers to estimate the risk of damaging frost to their crops with unrivalled accuracy. When subscribing to this premium feature, users can easily configure key elements of their crops to ensure a tailored and efficient risk assessment process. Configuration includes selecting the topography of the crop (e.g. plain, valley or slope) and specifying the soil type. Users can also specify the exact crop to be grown and, if applicable, select from a variety of cultivars (e.g. Granny Smith, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and many others for apples).

Users also have the flexibility to select their preferred weather model from a drop-down menu, identify the current phenological stage of their crop (e.g. germination, flowering etc) and, if desired, set the future monitoring period for potential risks and attached notification service. The entire configuration process, a quick task that takes no more than five minutes, enables users to generate both daily and detailed (3-hourly) reports that provide a comprehensive insight into the risk of damaging frost.

“In the world of precision agriculture, the ‘risk of damaging frost’ forecast is a game changer, providing a plug-and-play solution for farmers and agricultural professionals worldwide, especially as climate change increases the risk of frost damaging crops” said Johan Jaques, Agriculture Meterologist and KISTERS datasphere Product Manager.

The illustrative example below shows the expected risk of damaging frost for beans, with weather model data dynamically adapted to local conditions and the specific crop/phenological stage. The risk, shown as a percentage of low (10%) and high (90%) damage, is succinctly summarised in the reports.

More information is set to be released over the next few months, existing ‘datasphere’ users are encouraged to contact KISTERS for further information.

About KISTERS datasphere:

KISTERS datasphere is the acclaimed decision support and data visualisation software tool that serves as a central hub for the seamless integration and analysis of diverse data sets. Designed for practitioners and decision makers, it transforms raw data into actionable insights, providing unparalleled efficiency in environmental monitoring and alerting