Large-scale field trials as a platform for the development of digital tools for intercropping

Mixed cropping is seen as a possible route to more sustainable agriculture, as it has the potential to increase yields and product diversity, stabilise yields and reduce the use of pesticides and fertilisers. Despite these advantages, adoption of mixed cultivation in practical farming is still low. One problem is the selection of suitable plant species and varieties as well as an appropriate sowing density in order to achieve a balance between the individual crops. Field trials to optimise these parameters are either limited to a small number of options that can be tested or create a difficult-to-manage workload. Digital farming technologies, including the use of drones to obtain high-resolution images from the field trials and machine learning for image processing, can help to increase the number of partner combinations to be tested in field trials.