Kickstart Your Season With Source Pre-Season Simulations

As a grower or horticulture expert, you know that yield forecasting is complicated. So complicated in fact, that accurately predicting outcomes amid varying weather and greenhouse climate conditions has proved nearly impossible. 

To address this, Source.ag has developed Source Cultivate to support growers by simulating plant growth and development, translating these simulations into yield forecasts based on actual climate conditions.  The ability to accurately predict crop yields is a game changer. 

For growers, wholesalers, and retailers alike, yield forecasts are not just numbers, they are the backbone of planning, pricing, and supply chain efficiency. Traditional yield forecasting methods have been full of inaccuracies, leading to inefficiencies and financial losses. However, Source Cultivate achieved an 84% accuracy rate for yield forecasts made 4 to 8 weeks in advance during the last season. Since the launch of Source Cultivate in July 2024, the solution has supported many growers in optimizing their sales operations. 

Introducing: Pre-Season Simulations 

The value of Source Cultivate extends beyond mid-season simulations. Imagine being able to simulate an entire cultivation season. By comparing multiple scenarios, you can choose the most economically beneficial, least risky, or most sustainable strategy for the season, before it even begins. To achieve this, you can explore several key strategies and variables: 

• Adjust your artificial lighting plan and observe how it affects the development of both fruits and plants. 

• Consider how several weeks of high temperature or reduced sunlight might impact your plants, and hypothesize about the potential effects. 

• Set targets for plant stem density and fruit pruning, and see how these decisions impact plant load. 

• Monitor the growth factor throughout the process to ensure your plants remain healthy.

This proactive approach allows you to plan strategically, making data-driven decisions that optimize growth conditions and yield outcomes before a single seed is planted. 

Turning insights into actions

Source Cultivate goes beyond just offering insights, it transforms them into actionable plans. By visualizing multiple potential outcomes through detailed graphs, you gain a clear understanding of how your cultivation decisions will play out over time. Once you identify a favorable outcome by running various simulations, it can be seamlessly loaded as your active crop plan. These newly outputted parameters are then set as targets, guiding your day-to-day operations to achieve the desired results.

You can continuously monitor and adjust your strategies in conjunction with Source Track, ensuring that your greenhouse operations align with the forecasted outcomes. This integrated approach streamlines the decision-making process, enabling you to steer your crops toward optimal performance with confidence.

AI modeling for improved crop planning 

Mid-season simulations benefit from real-time plant measurements, collected via the Source Plant App, which refine the accuracy of predictions. Pre-season simulations, however, operate without these realized values. Instead, they rely entirely on the crop plan’s targets to simulate plant development. While this may introduce a degree of uncertainty, it does not compromise the accuracy of our models. Instead, it underscores the importance of setting realistic and well-informed targets.

Pre-season simulations are particularly valuable for uncovering trends and understanding the intricate relationships between different plant metrics and expected yields. By experimenting with various scenarios, you can identify potential risks and opportunities, making adjustments to your crop plans before challenges arise. This foresight allows for more resilient cultivation strategies, ultimately leading to higher and more predictable yields of more consistent quality.

Final Thoughts 

By integrating Source Cultivate into your operation, you’re not only improving yield forecasting but are also gaining a powerful tool for strategic planning and risk management. The future of agriculture lies in leveraging technology to make smarter, more informed decisions. Source Cultivate is at the forefront of this revolution. Curious to learn more about how Source Cultivate solves yield forecasting through plant measurements? Find out in the paper below.