Soyl, a company providing growers with precision farming services and support, recently launched its new iSoyl app, which streamlines the variable rate application process for users. It’s available on iPad, iPad Mini and iPad Air and is compatible with a variety of planters, sprayers and spreaders. And last month, the company announced some new key features, primary of which is the ability to view all tasks in the app as an overview map. That view is available anywhere from a local level of one farm to a wider view across several farms. And a grower can select applications from the map to view the individual activities.

"We are always looking for ways to make precision crop production as simple as possible, and this is a really exciting development. It is the next generation of precision technology and will enable more growers to use variable rate techniques on their farms,” says Simon Parrington, SOYL's commercial director, in a release.

Within the new map feature, a user can select the map overview of all farms, or users can filter them out on an individual basis. A user simply taps the field they want to look at from there to view tasks recorded in that area.

Additional new features include a tour of the app to get growers started with the technology and understand the benefits it can provide. And extra help screens have also been added for users to quickly learn how to navigate through the app. Users who already have the app can get the new features with a free upgrade, and their stored data will transfer automatically.

Once an iPad is mounted in the tractor cab, users have a large full color display to navigate through the app, which makes it easy to use on the go. The app allows a user to mark points of interest throughout their fields such as a weed population or variation in the crop. This is accomplished by dropped a pin on that area and making a note, which is logged via GPS.

The company says application files can be transferred seamlessly between field and office and then back again as an “as applied” record.

The app is free to download and try out a demo; growers who wish to use the app’s full features with their equipment pay a one-time fee of $795. The fee includes a license for MySoylsync and the necessary smart cable and adaptors along with the in-cab mounting system. iOS 7.1 or later is required to run the app on a device. Download the app here.

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