5 Ways Data Analysis Enhances Plant Nursery Performance

Proper data management is crucial for every business. You gather data from various sources, from fields to greenhouses, and likely from other areas like the office, conventions, trade fairs, and more. But the key question is: what are you doing with this data? In this blog, we share five tips on how to effectively apply data analytics.

1. Improve your revenue with data analysis

With efficient data analysis, you can boost seed yields throughout the year. How? By continuously tracking where the most rejections occur and the conditions surrounding them—like climate or soil type—you can uncover patterns. Where are the highest-risk areas? How do diseases and pests spread across your crops? Other factors also come into focus. With this insight, you can take timely action, responding proactively in areas with higher risks, such as disease or pest outbreaks. For instance, by having your team conduct additional inspections as a preventive measure, you can detect diseases and pests earlier, ultimately improving yields from your fields.

During a Seed Meets Technology session, Michel van Westen showcased an example of a ‘heat map,’ created from data analysis. It illustrated noise pollution density along roads in Helsinki. Similarly, you can create maps for your fields or greenhouses to pinpoint where diseases are most likely to strike

(Photo: Not a representation; an example of noise pollution in Helsinki)

2. Improve your efficiency, reduce your costs with data analysis

Where do you and your colleagues spend most of your time? Is it time well spent, or would you rather invest that time and energy elsewhere? Data analysis can reveal how much time specific tasks or transactions require, and what they yield in return. This insight allows you to identify where inefficiencies exist, their root causes, and whether you're using your time effectively

Movement patterns can also be a valuable focus for data analysis. Take, for instance, the spacing between plants and how it impacts plant quality. By applying data analysis effectively, you can optimize spacing or reduce the need for relocations. This one adjustment can lead to better product quality, maximize space utilization, and lower labor costs—all boosting your overall efficiency!

3. Improve the quality of seeds with data management

By strategically applying data management, you can significantly improve the quality of your seeds. Chances are, you're already doing this in your lab—if you have one. Using the data you collect, you can analyze the best production periods and evaluate the impact of key factors like water, sunlight, and more on plant growth.

The same approach applies to pilot projects. With effective data management, you can gather and combine all relevant information, such as climate, soil conditions, and timeframes. By experimenting and accurately analyzing the results, you can continuously improve the quality of your seeds.

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4. Predict accurately using data analysis

Seed breeding and sales are all about balancing supply and demand. Each year, you make promises to your customers about how much seed you’ll provide, and then wait to see how the harvest turns out. While years of experience allow you to make fairly accurate estimates, wouldn’t you prefer to be more precise about next year’s supply? That way, you can avoid the risk of having either too little or too much product on hand.

Through data analysis over the years, you can always calculate more meticulously. Thus, data analysis helps your nursery further, as well.

5. Be proactive with data analysis

Let me share a quick story to illustrate my point. One of our clients used data analysis to manage production at his plant nursery. One day, he noticed something unusual in the data—something didn’t add up. He rushed to the production manager and said, 'Go take a quick look at those specific plants in that plot.' The manager replied, 'Why? I checked them just yesterday.' But he went anyway, and sure enough, discovered a disease among the plants. Without the data, they never would have caught it that early.

This story underlines how vital it is to collect data and analyze this with plant nursery software. It does not, in any way whatsoever, render a production manager redundant. The combination of data and personal experience of the employee raises cultivation to a higher level.

Proactive cultivation means gathering and combining data, even when no problems are visible. This approach helps you spot anomalies early, like in the example above. Waiting to invest until issues are obvious puts you at a disadvantage. It’s important to stay on top of the data you collect and how you manage it.

Our consultant can help you stay ahead by implementing plant nursery software for better management

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