By Lori Tyler Gula
A research team at the University of Georgia, Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), is working to change that. The team is building a new kind of farming tool that combines tiny sensors, simple hardware, software and machine learning. This system listens to plants and soil in real time and gives farmers clear guidance on when and where to irrigate or fertilize.
“When scientists, engineers and producers work together, we get practical tools that strengthen our food supply, protect our water and reduce costs for farmers,” said Dr. Kelly Garbach, NIFA national program leader. “This project shows how real-time data can advance solutions to some of agriculture’s toughest challenges.”
This technology does more than help crops grow. It protects drinking water, reduces greenhouse gases and lowers costs during a time when farmers and families are feeling financial pressure.
“Our system makes plant needs visible and actionable,” said lead researcher Dr. Liang Dong, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Professor, University of Georgia. “When farmers know exactly what their crops need, they can maintain productivity while using fewer resources.”
Why a Few Extra Pounds of Nitrogen Matter
Most farmers apply more nitrogen fertilizer and water than their crops require. They do this with good reason. Farming is unpredictable, and no one wants to risk losing yield. But the cost of this insurance is high.
Extra nitrogen flows into rivers and fuels algae blooms that threaten ecosystems and drinking water supplies. Extra pumping drains groundwater sources that towns, wildlife and future farms need. Every unnecessary gallon of water or pound of fertilizer also takes a bite out of a farmer’s budget. With heavier rainstorms and hotter summers becoming more common, the stakes keep rising. Fertilizer can wash away during a storm, and crops can experience more heat stress that increases water demand.
The research team wanted to give farmers a new advantage. Their goal was to deliver real-time information from inside the leaf, inside the stalk and inside the soil. With that information, farmers can respond at the right time and in the right place with the right amount.
Source : usda.gov