Nitrogen management based on active optical sensor readings in corn and wheat crops

• Grant number: 06/02322-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2006
• End date: February 29, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Agricultural Machinery and Implements
• Principal Investigator: José Paulo Molin
• Grantee: Fabrício Pinheiro Povh
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

There is a current discussion about cereals quality, with a tendency of changing in grain commercialization, not being by yield, but commercialized by grain protein. One of the factors affecting grain protein is nitrogen fertilization, therefore, with adequate management may increase significantly the grain quality. In the other hand is the most concerning nutrient relative to environment, being able to pollute ecosystems and water courses. Worldwide, the nitrogen use efficiency by cereals is about 33%, and the rest results in losses to the environment and farmers. This work objective is use an active optic sensor (GreenSeeker®, NTech Industry Inc., Ukiah, CA), which the functioning system consists of emitting radiation in two specific wavelengths (Red = 660 nm and Near Infrared = 780 nm) and capture the light reflected by the leaves, as tool to study the spectral behavior of corn and wheat crops under different nitrogen treatments. Due to the rising number of studies in this research line outside the country, the suggestion is to evaluate the same process in Brazilian conditions and estimate the nitrogen content in these crops and propose an adequate management of nitrogen fertilizers. The intention is to increase grain protein, and consequently improve farmers’ profit, reducing, at the same time, the environmental impact risks caused by possible excess of nitrogen on plantations.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

POVH, Fabrício Pinheiro. Use of active optical sensor in cereal crops. 2008. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) Piracicaba.