Soil sensor developed in Ireland may cut chemical fertiliser use and save farmers money
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Researchers in Ireland have developed a groundbreaking soil sensor that could allow farmers to reduce their use of chemical fertilisers and save money.
The team at the Tyndall National Institute, based at University College Cork (UCC), say as well as delivering significant cost savings for farmers, the new device will reduce the harmful environmental impacts of fertilisers, which can cause nitrogen and phosphorous contamination, and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable food supply chain.
Professor Alan O’Riordan, a member of Tyndall’s nanotechnology group, said the technology involved is a world first.
“This a very exciting emerging technology that does not exist elsewhere in the world,” he said.
“We are now looking at ways to translate this tech into the hands of farmers through licensing or commercialisation.”
Farmers need to monitor the nutrients in their soil, as well as track environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and emissions from fertilised soils, and then use that data to manage crop planting, crop growth, agricultural production and to minimise environmental impacts.
Traditional soil monitoring methods have involved taking physical samples of soil to analyse how it changes over time, with farmers then comparing the results over an extended period, to determine what changes might be required to improve their soil.
But this method is costly and can be inaccurate, because the results are not available in real time. As concerns about the environmental impacts of agriculture continue to grow, the need for smart farming technologies has become crucial.
The team at Tyndall developed an electronic smart system (ESS) sensor which is buried in the soil to monitor nutrient levels in real time. The sensors can connect via the Internet of Things and then uses cloud technology to collect and analyse the data, generating a report for the farmer.
The report provides farmers with real-time insights into changing soil conditions, helping them to optimise fertiliser, reduce nutrient losses and environmental impacts, the research team said.
This project, which is funded by the VistaMilk Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre, is in line with the EU’s Green Deal objectives and the EU’s Farm-to-Fork strategy, which aims to reduce nutrient losses by 50% and address air, soil and water pollution.
Research published by the Environmental Protection Agency last week shows that there has been no significant change in any of the water quality indicators for Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwaters in 2023 and no sign of improvement overall.
The biggest issue impacting water quality is nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater, the Water Quality 2023 report found. Average nitrate levels in rivers, groundwater, estuaries and coastal waters are largely unchanged and remain too high in the east, southeast and south.
While some improvements are being made these are being offset by declines elsewhere, the report warned. Nitrogen pollution remains a significant issue in the east, southeast and south of the country, with 42% of river sites, 17% of estuarine and coastal waters and 20% of groundwater sites all with nitrogen levels that are unsatisfactory.
"This is primarily attributable to intensive agricultural activities on freely draining soils in these areas," the report said.
Phosphate levels can fluctuate annually but overall there has been no significant change over recent years, with 27% of river sites and 35% of lakes, particularly in the north and northeast, all found to have elevated phosphorus levels.
Phosphorus entering our waters is largely associated with poorly treated wastewater and run-off from agricultural lands with poorly draining soils, the report said.