Researchers eye nitrogen waste with optical sensors
US - Nitrogen management is probably the single most variable production input growers face in agriculture, and with the continued increase in fertilizer costs, application efficiency is becoming increasingly important.In response to this need, Ohio State University soil research and Extension specialists are evaluating the use of optical sensors in nitrogen management.
"Nitrogen efficiency in crop production, such as corn, is estimated to be only about 33 percent, suggesting that under current nitrogen recommendation methods the majority of nitrogen applied is going elsewhere other than into the crop," said Robert Mullen, an OSU Extension specialist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and an assistant professor for the School of Natural Resources.
Source: Agriculture Online
22 September 2005
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