Issue 10, 2009
From the journal:

Journal of Environmental Monitoring

Soil macronutrient sensing for precision agriculture

Hak-Jin Kim,*a   Kenneth A. Sudduthb  and  John W. Hummelb  

* Corresponding authors

a Department of Bio-Industrial Machinery Engineering, Pusan National University, Miryang, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea
E-mail: kimhj69@pusan.ac.kr
Fax: +82 55-350-5429
Tel: +82 55-350-5426

b Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Columbia, MO, USA
E-mail: ken.sudduth@ars.usda.gov
Fax: +1 573-882-1115
Tel: +1 573-882-1114

Abstract

Accurate measurements of soil macronutrients (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) are needed for efficient agricultural production, including site-specific crop management (SSCM), where fertilizer nutrient application rates are adjusted spatially based on local requirements. Rapid, non-destructive quantification of soil properties, including nutrient levels, has been possible with optical diffuse reflectance sensing. Another approach, electrochemical sensing based on ion-selective electrodes or ion-selective field effect transistors, has been recognized as useful in real-time analysis because of its simplicity, portability, rapid response, and ability to directly measure the analyte with a wide range of sensitivity. Current sensor developments and related technologies that are applicable to the measurement of soil macronutrients for SSCM are comprehensively reviewed. Examples of optical and electrochemical sensors applied in soil analyses are given, while advantages and obstacles to their adoption are discussed. It is proposed that on-the-go vehicle-based sensing systems have potential for efficiently and rapidly characterizing variability of soil macronutrients within a field.

Graphical abstract: Soil macronutrient sensing for precision agriculture

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/B906634A
Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
02 Apr 2009
Accepted
23 Jul 2009
First published
13 Aug 2009

J. Environ. Monit., 2009,11, 1810-1824

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Soil macronutrient sensing for precision agriculture

H. Kim, K. A. Sudduth and J. W. Hummel, J. Environ. Monit., 2009, 11, 1810 DOI: 10.1039/B906634A

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