‘Revolutionary’ soil station reduces fertiliser use

A cutting-edge soil station claims to help farmers reduce nitrogen applications by as much as 70%.

The soil station – created by Estonian company Paul-Tech – provides insights into the nutrients available to the crop in the soil, enabling growers to accurately calculate the amount of nutrients the crop needs.

Following its launch in the UK earlier this year, more than 40 farms have now installed the technology. In Europe, farmers have been using the soil station for a number of years to dramatically increase profitability by cutting fertiliser use.

The soil station is the first to accurately measure nutrient movement through the soil, helping growers make better decisions about when to apply fertiliser to optimise Nutrient Uptake Efficiency (NUE).

The technology has already enabled Finish onion grower AFC Uussaari to cut nitrogen use by 70% while improving yield by 5%, says Paul-Tech. This equates to an 82kg/h saving on fertiliser.

Paul-Tech chief executive Mikk Plakk said: “The technology has already proven its value across Europe, enabling farmers to get a much richer picture of how nitrogen and other nutrients move through the soil.

“This level of information gives farmers the power to make far better decisions and this is reflected in yields when it comes to harvest.”

Sensors at two different depths in the soil track nutrient movements. Results can be plotted in real-time via an online dashboard which shows if the nutrients are leaching quickly away or are being held around the roots for plants to absorb.

During periods of rainfall, the soil station tracks nutrients dissolving and becoming available to the plant, enabling growers to better understand how weather events impact on crop development.