Field notes
Articles for plant breeders and trial managers
Plain-English notes on heading dates and growing degree days, G×E, pedigree and DNA, weather data, scoring days and field book apps, from the makers of Crossling.
- Predicting heading date: growing degree days and day lengthWhy days from sowing is a poor guide to heading in wheat and barley, and how growing degree days and day length give dates you can plan around.8 November 2026 · 7 min read
- Genotype by environment interaction: why lines change rankWhat G×E means in a variety trial, how reaction norms show it, why lines swap ranks between sites, and what it means for the lines you keep.8 November 2026 · 6 min read
- Single-step GBLUP in plain words: pedigree and DNA togetherHow a single-step relationship matrix blends pedigree and marker data, why it helps lines that were never genotyped, and what to check before you rely on it.8 November 2026 · 6 min read
- Using your own weather station in variety trialsWhat to log at a trial site, how to turn logger readings into daily numbers, how to handle gaps and time zones, and when NASA POWER is a good enough fallback.8 November 2026 · 6 min read
- When to score heading: planning scoring days in field trialsHow to time visits for heading notes, how often to go back, what to write down between visits, and how to hand scoring days to technicians without losing track.8 November 2026 · 6 min read
- What to look for in a field book app for plant breedingA practical checklist for choosing a field book app: offline scoring, BrAPI and Field Book compatibility, trait ontologies, pedigree, photos and owning your data.8 November 2026 · 6 min read