Device, system, and method for selecting seed varieties and forecasting an optimum planting time and window for the planting of said seed

Abstract

A device is disclosed herein, said device for determining whether a day is suitable for planting a seed on a plot of land, said device comprising a microprocessor programmed to: (a) select at least one electronic data source containing meteorological data and/or soil temperature for the plot of land by a method comprising: (a1) determining the location of the plot of land; and (a2) selecting a data source providing local weather forecasting services and/or soil data services for the location of the plot of land; (b) electronically receive from the at least one electronic data source: (b1) meteorological data for the plot of land comprising a high surface air temperature and a low surface air temperature for each of the plurality of consecutive days; and (b2) at least one soil temperature for each of the plurality of consecutive days; and (c) select an alpha day within the plurality of consecutive days and determine whether it is suitable for planting the seed based on the meteorological data, the soil temperature, and a species of seed to be planted.

1 . A device for determining whether a day is suitable for planting a seed on a plot of land, said device comprising a microprocessor programmed to:
 (a) determine the location of the plot of land; and   (b) electronically receive:
 (b1) meteorological data comprising at least a high surface air temperature and a low surface air temperature for the location of the plot of land for each of a plurality of consecutive days; and 
 (b2) at least one soil temperature for the location of the plot of land for at least one of the plurality of consecutive days; and 
   (c) select an alpha day within the plurality of consecutive days and determine whether it is suitable for planting the seed based on the meteorological data, the soil temperature, and a species of seed to be planted.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to automatically determine the location of the plot of land by receiving location data from a device located on or near the plot of land. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the device located on or near the plot of land comprises a component of a satellite-based navigation system or a cellular network. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is programmed to determine the location of the plot of land based on location data entered by a user. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to direct a wireless communication device or modem to obtain the high surface air temperature, the low surface air temperature, and/or the soil temperature from an electronic data source. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the electronic data source comprises data from a plurality of mesonet sites. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the microprocessor is programmed to obtain the data from the mesonet site that is most closest representative of the location of the plot of land. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to generate a graphical interface comprising at least one data entry field. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a data entry field for entering the soil temperature data. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a data entry field for selecting the species of the seed to be planted. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the graphical interface further comprises a data entry field to select a variety of the species of seed selected. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is programmed to determine whether the alpha day is suitable for planting the seed by a method comprising:
 (c1) determining a GDD value for each of a predetermined number of consecutive days following the alpha day, according to Formula I:   
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       
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                             ( 
                             
                               
                                 T 
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                                 T 
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                           T 
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         wherein T max  refers to the actual or predicted high surface air temperature for a day; T min  refers to the actual or predicted low surface air temperature for a day; and T base  refers to a base temperature associated with the species of seed to be planted; and
 calculating the sum of GDD values over the predefined period of consecutive days (Σ GDD ), wherein the alpha day is determined to not be suitable for planting the seed when EGDD does not exceed a predefined GDD threshold; 
 
         (c2) optionally, determining the soil temperature for the alpha day, wherein the alpha day is determined to not be suitable for planting the seed when the soil temperature falls below a predefined soil temperature threshold; and 
         (c3) optionally, determining the minimum surface air temperature for each day of the predefined period of consecutive days, wherein the alpha day is determined to not be suitable for planting the seed when the minimum surface air temperature falls below a predefined minimum surface air temperature threshold for any day of the predetermined number of consecutive days. 
       
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein:
 (c4) the alpha day is determined to be suitable for planting the seed if:
 the Σ GDD  exceeds the predefined GDD threshold; 
 the soil temperature meets or exceeds the soil temperature threshold for the alpha day; and 
 the surface air temperature meets or exceeds the surface air temperature threshold for each day of the predefined period of consecutive days. 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the seed is a cotton seed. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to generate a graphical representation indicating whether the alpha day is predicted to be suitable for planting the species of seed to be planted. 
     
     
         16 . A system for determining whether a day is suitable for planting a seed, the system comprising a device of  claim 1 , operably linked to the electronic data source. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a computer system operably linked to the device, the computer system comprising a display and a data input device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the computer system is a mobile unit, wherein the mobile unit comprises a display and a component of a satellite-based navigation system or a cellular network adapted to communicate data regarding the location of the mobile unit to the device. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  or  claim 18 , wherein said device is adapted to generate on the display: (a) a graphical interface according to. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a user interface for entering soil temperature data, selecting the species of seed to be planted, and/or selecting the variety of seed to be planted. 
     
     
         21 . A computer-based method of predicting an optimal day to plant a seed, said method comprising providing the device of  claim 1 , wherein said device:
 (a) obtains meteorological data for each of a plurality of consecutive days, wherein the meteorological data comprises at least one high surface air temperature and at least one low surface air temperature for each day of the plurality of consecutive days;   (b) obtains soil data for a plot of land on which the seeds are to be planted, wherein the soil data comprises at least at one temperature at least at one time point within the plurality of consecutive days; and   (c) applies the meteorological data and the soil data to an algorithm for determining whether a time period within the plurality of days is suitable to plant a species of seed on the plot of land.   
     
     
         22 . A method of planting a cotton seed, the method comprising:
 (a) predicting an optimal time to plant a seed using the device of  claim 1 , wherein said device or system:
 (i) obtains meteorological data for each of a plurality of consecutive days, wherein the meteorological data comprises at least one high surface air temperature and at least one low surface air temperature for each day of the plurality of consecutive days; 
 (ii) obtains soil data for a plot of land on which the seeds are to be planted, wherein the soil data comprises at least one temperature at least at one time point within the plurality of consecutive days; and 
 (iii) applies the meteorological data and the soil data to an algorithm for determining whether a time period within the plurality of days is suitable to plant a species of seed on the plot of land; and 
   (b) planting the cotton seed on a day predicted by the device to be suitable for planting the seed.