What satellite maps are available? What can base map and field view do?

YaraPlus Atfarm provides regularly updated satellite imagery and biomass maps to help you monitor crop health and optimise fertiliser application.

You can choose from two types of satellite map to visualise your field:

• Base map
• Field view

Base map

The base map is a high resolution Earth map that helps you identify field boundaries, streams, roads, and other geographical features when adding fields to YaraPlus.

Where the imagery comes from

The base map is provided by Mapbox and OpenStreetMap, which update their imagery every few years. As a result, the field boundaries shown on the base map may not always match your current field boundaries. If your uploaded field boundaries appear different from those on the base map, this is not an error, it simply reflects older imagery.

How the base map is used

The map is not used for crop monitoring or recommendations. YaraPlus Atfarm provides frequent satellite images (updated every three to five days) for field monitoring, which you can find in field view.

Field view

The field view provides recent satellite images in low resolution, which help monitor your field over time. With up to five years of satellite imagery available, you can closely follow crop development and assess field conditions.

Satellite data source and imagery quality

YaraPlus Atfarm uses data from the Sentinel-2 A and B satellites, part of the European Space Agency's Copernicus programme, to calculate a vegetation index and generate biomass maps. Sentinel-2 imagery captures the red edge of light, making it ideal for detecting changes in vegetation before they become visible to the human eye.

Why Sentinel-2?

• Detects early vegetation changes before visible signs appear
• Provides high-resolution multi-spectral data (10-20 m per pixel)
• Measures atmospheric properties to enhance image accuracy

Image availability and limitations

New satellite images are captured every three to five days in Central Europe. Once acquired, raw satellite data is processed and made available in YaraPlus Atfarm within 24 hours.

However, image availability may be affected by:

• Cloud cover and shadows: Dense clouds or cloud shadows can obscure parts of the field and affect the accuracy of the biomass readings. Cloudy images are marked with a ☁️ icon. Biomass calculations can't be performed for these images, but you can check the cloud cover manually. If an image is cloud-free, you can use it to create application maps.
• Snow-covered fields: Snow can obscure vegetation data, making it temporarily unavailable. Snowy images are marked with a ❄️ icon.
• Temporary disturbances: Accumulated water, machinery, or other obstacles may appear in images and affect biomass readings.

Tip: If your field's latest cloud-free image is more than five days old, YaraPlus Atfarm can estimate the N-uptake from a cloud-free image up to 21 days in the past.

True-colour imagery for better interpretation

YaraPlus Atfarm provides true-colour satellite images, allowing for a more intuitive evaluation of field conditions. These images help you:

• Confirm small clouds and shadows before using an image for biomass analysis
• Identify non-vegetation elements such as standing water, machinery, or infrastructure
• Assess field conditions intuitively, reducing the likelihood of misinterpretation

By considering these factors, you can make better-informed decisions based on satellite imagery in YaraPlus Atfarm.