Groundbreaking soil sensor to help reduce fertiliser use
Mairead McGuinness European Commissioner Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union Visit To Tyndall Picture: Gerard McCarthy
Researchers at Tyndall National Institute, based at University Cork (UCC), have developed a groundbreaking soil sensor that will allow farmers to reduce their use of chemical fertilisers.
The sensor, which is buried in the soil and uses a range of techniques, including electrochemical analysis and laser technology, to monitor nutrient levels in real-time, has the potential to deliver significant cost savings as well as a reduction in the harmful environmental impacts caused by nutrient leaching and run-off, which has been associated with nitrogen and phosphorous.
