TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the potential for ion selective electrodes and dual wavelength uv spectroscopy as a rapid on-farm measurement of soil nitrate concentration
AU - Shaw, Rory
AU - Williams, A. Prysor
AU - Miller, Anthony
AU - Jones, Davey L.
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - Current fertiliser recommendations for nitrogen are limited in their accuracy and may be improved by the use of simple on-farm soil rapid tests. This paper investigates the potential for using nitrate (NO3 −) ion selective electrodes (ISEs) and dual wavelength UV spectroscopy as part of a rapid soil NO3 − diagnostic test. Three soil types, representing the major soil types for agriculture in the western UK, were tested. For the three soils, the ISE rapid test procedure gave a near 1:1 response (r2 = 0.978, 0.968, 0.989) compared to the internationally-approved standard laboratory method. However, the accuracy of the ISE rapid test was reduced at low soil NO3 − concentrations (<10 mg NO3 − L−1). We also show that NO3 − analysis of H2O soil extracts by dual wavelength UV spectroscopy was also highly correlated (r2 = 0.978, 0.983, 0.991) to the standard laboratory method. We conclude that both ISE and dual wavelength UV spectroscopy have clear potential to be used for the rapid on-farm determination of soil NO3 − concentration. Barriers to use of these field-based assessment tools include, farmer perception of cost-benefit, general attitude to new technologies and the ability to generate useful fertiliser use strategies from soil NO3 − measurements.
AB - Current fertiliser recommendations for nitrogen are limited in their accuracy and may be improved by the use of simple on-farm soil rapid tests. This paper investigates the potential for using nitrate (NO3 −) ion selective electrodes (ISEs) and dual wavelength UV spectroscopy as part of a rapid soil NO3 − diagnostic test. Three soil types, representing the major soil types for agriculture in the western UK, were tested. For the three soils, the ISE rapid test procedure gave a near 1:1 response (r2 = 0.978, 0.968, 0.989) compared to the internationally-approved standard laboratory method. However, the accuracy of the ISE rapid test was reduced at low soil NO3 − concentrations (<10 mg NO3 − L−1). We also show that NO3 − analysis of H2O soil extracts by dual wavelength UV spectroscopy was also highly correlated (r2 = 0.978, 0.983, 0.991) to the standard laboratory method. We conclude that both ISE and dual wavelength UV spectroscopy have clear potential to be used for the rapid on-farm determination of soil NO3 − concentration. Barriers to use of these field-based assessment tools include, farmer perception of cost-benefit, general attitude to new technologies and the ability to generate useful fertiliser use strategies from soil NO3 − measurements.
KW - Crop nutrients
KW - Fertiliser management
KW - Nitrogen use efficiency
KW - Soil analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84976412049&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/agriculture3030327
DO - 10.3390/agriculture3030327
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84976412049
SN - 2077-0472
VL - 3
SP - 327
EP - 341
JO - Agriculture (Switzerland)
JF - Agriculture (Switzerland)
IS - 3
ER -