PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Nitrogen (N) is a crucial nutrient for crop productivity, and its main application is as synthetic fertiliser (i.e. ammonium nitrate). High N-fertilisation is the main agricultural practice in intensive crop farming to increase yields to supply food for a growing global population. However, today >50% of N added to cropland is lost from the nutrient cycle; wasting resources, producing threats to air, water, soil and biodiversity, and causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The main challenges are, firstly, that production of N-fertiliser (via the Haber-Bosch process) demands an enormous amount of fossil fuel and produces CO2 accordingly, and secondly, it is very difficult to meet actual crop plant demands, and gross N balance estimations reveal a N-surplus of ~50 kg/ha in the EU-28 (source: Eurostat). Specifically, it is assumed, that at least a third of the N-surplus (NO3, NH4) is lost by leachate, drainage, erosion, and run off to surface waters and groundwater. Solutions are needed to minimise N-surplus through smart and effective management of the N-balance, adhering to overall limits but ensuring optimised plant growth and yields.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the LIFE nutriCLOUD project is to reduce the N-surplus (N++) and the amount of total N-fertiliser (NF) through the implementation of an innovative technology for plant-specific, optimised, and intelligent variable-rate application of NF. The aim is for this to reduce related cost and effects, while providing higher yield rates and compliance with N-limits according to the EU Nitrates Directive and other regulations.
The specific objectives are:
Prototype manufacturing of 36 pilot systems needed for tests, consisting of 9 satellite-based and 27 sensor-based systems; Testing of prototypes during two years seasons in three regions in Germany, two in the river basin of the Elbe river, as well as tests during at least one year at an additional nine locations in Latvia, Poland, and Hungary (three each); Increasing the total user numbers of Variable Rate Nitrogen Treatment (VRNT) by 5%; Increasing the share of sensor-based (i.e. most efficient) VRNT among all users from currently 10% to >80% (due to cost advantage of innovative sensors and unrivalled performance of the full system); Increasing the area under sustainable agricultural management in terms of applying VRNT instead of uniform treatment, to 69 300 ha in Germany; Increasing the awareness of VRNT of over 50 000 people based on dissemination activities; and Transfer of nutriCLOUD technology to plant protection and achieve efficiency gains of 15% for fungicide and 12% for growth regulator appliance. The project contributes to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) by reducing the use of fertiliser, to the National Emissions Ceilings (NEC) Directive (2016/2284/EU) by contributing to reductions in the major air pollutant nitrogen oxides (NOx), and to the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting groundwater and surface waters.
RESULTS
Expected results: Technical/economic:
Evaluation of 27 innovative self-calibrating N-sensors; Series model ready for replication; Ergonomics equivalent to uniform treatment, but with 20% less time and effort than other sensor-based systems; The fully integrated and combined systems provide: cloud-based data management, interface to crop cultivation experts, documentation, analysis of further nutrient demand, compliance to limits, yield mapping, and weak-point analysis, including further tools for soil and plant health. Environmental: The following emissions caused by N-surplus will be reduced during the project:
59 tons nitrogen per year by reducing NO3, NO4 and dissolved organic nitrogen emissions to groundwater and surface waters; 48 tons nitrogen per year by reducing NH3 emissions; 13 tons nitrogen per year by reducing N2O emissions; 1 593 tons nitrogen per year CO2 equiv. by reducing total nitrogen demand. Socioeconomic:
Increase of 3-5% crop yields on average compared to uniform fertilisation; Increase of 13% in nutrient use efficiency, i.e. keeping nutrients in cycle; Earnings of 100 per ha (reduced costs/higher income) for end user, adding up to 1.5 million during project for test farms; Return of investment (ROI) after one to two years for end users; 100% limit compliance with regulations ROI of LIFE project in five years, plus ten jobs; 200 users trained in sustainable fertilisation management.
