Farming tomorrow

Producing more food with ever less environmental impact will be one of the challenges for tomorrow’s agriculture.

Over the last few years, a great deal of work has gone into understanding and tackling environmental issues. 

Can nitrogen use efficiency be further enhanced? How to meet European policy objectives on emission control? Are there ways to reduce fertilizer input while increasing profit?

Determining plant needs

Determining the right amount of fertilizer to apply with the right timing has considerable impact on yield, protein content, fertilization cost and the environment. But assessing actual plant needs depends on a number of factors:

  • Field topography as well as differences in soil structure have an impact on nutrient availability and water supply. 
  • Yield expectations, and thus nitrogen budgets, evolve throughout the season. 
  • The soil nitrogen supply depends on temperature, humidity and carbon content.
  • Previous applications of organic fertilizers increase the uncertainty and heterogeneity of soil N supply even further.

Accounting for in-field variations

Current best farming practice use nitrogen budgets to account for yield expectations, soil nitrogen supply and possible other nitrogen inputs such as manure. There is a thin line between under- and over-fertilization. 

Nitrogen budgets are generally established as a per field average. In reality, however, nitrogen needs vary on a significantly smaller scale. Applying a uniform quantity of nitrogen leads to under-fertilization in some plots, limiting yield and protein content. In other plots, the applied nitrogen exceeds plant uptake and is lost. Taking into account in-field variations of nitrogen need reduces fertilizer input, creates a more uniform crop stand and enhances overall yield and crop quality.

Precision farming 

Precision farming tools aim at assessing a crop stand’s nitrogen uptake in real time, parcel by parcel, and to adjust fertilizer application accordingly. Different technologies are available and in use, from remote satellite imaging to close-up optical analysis. 

Yara precision farming technologies determine chlorophyll and biomass density by on-spot optical measures. Unlike satellite imaging, they are independent from weather conditions and external data providers, thus offering full control to the farmer. Desktop software tools assist farmers in making best choices and in keeping records up to date.

YaraPlan

YaraPlan is a desktop system that establishes detailed nutrient budgets and recommendations according to official guidelines. The system offers integral nutrient evaluations and can be used for documentation.

 

Yara N-Tester

Yara N-Tester is a handheld device. It determines nitrogen requirements by measuring the chlorophyll of the leaf. The device is calibrated for different crops and growth stages.

 

 

Yara N-Sensor

Yara N-Sensor determines actual nitrogen requirements by optical means and controls the spreader in real time. When connected to a GPS receiver it can automatically generate maps of crop density, nitrogen requirements and fertilizer spread.

Yara N-Sensor ALS

Yara N-Sensor ALS (Active Light Sources) features build-in lighting, enabling low light and night time operation.