Estate Canepro

• CanePro is a multi-user application designed specifically for the requirements of large commercial sugar estates.
• CanePro provides an integrated solution for managing fields, estimates, irrigation, employees, vehicles and materials.
• CanePro consolidates all your data into a single database with controlled access for all users.
• CanePro affords improved insight and decision making with its easy-to-use graphical reporting interface.
• CanePro enables middle management to become accountable for decisions by allocating responsibilities to specific tasks.

Yield Forecasting

CanePro boasts an integrated computer simulation model based on the CANEGRO crop growth model developed by the South African Sugar Research Institute. CANEGRO is internationally recognized and has been included in the DSSAT suite of models for international release. The model is a daily time step process-level model aimed at capturing the effects of climate and age on yield.

The simulation model is used in two distinct areas of the program. In the Harvest Planning module the model is used to estimate yield given the crop's growing conditions and time of harvest. The model is also used as part of the Fields module as a field performance evaluation tool.

On large commercial operations many decisions are based on field performance. Examples include replant decisions, manager performance etc. These decisions are usually made using actual field performance. However these comparisons are often biased due to seasonal variability, both within a season and between seasons, and differences in soil type and other agronomic practices. CanePro offers the user a less biased approach. Potential cane yields can be estimated using the simulation model removing the seasonal variability.

The effects of soil and ratoon are accounted for in a more empirical manner. A soil/ratoon matrix is used to adjust potential yield for the inherent limitations of soil types and account for differences in yield-reduction with successive ratoons. Other agronomic factors are considered as user-defined rules.

Numerous reports allow the user to benchmark individual fields or management units within a season or between seasons. Naturally, all of this information can be viewed spatially using CanePro's integrated GIS interface.