Near Infrared Technology for Precision Environmental Measurements: Part 1. Determination of Nitrogen in Green- and Dry-Grass Tissue

Abstract

The driving force for this work is rooted in data that confirms the contamination of streams and lakes caused from excessive use of nitrogen, pesticides and other soil amendments. Traditional analytical (wet chemistry) methods are too slow and too costly for detecting ecological abuse. A technology that would characterise the nutritional status of growing plants in a timelier manner (preferably in real time as an applicator moves through the field) is needed to control the volume of amendments. This paper explores the potential of near infrared (NIR) spectrometry for measuring nitrogen in plant tissue. In particular, it discusses the development of nitrogen calibrations, and performance of those calibrations, for both green- and dry-grass tissue. Results, based on collaborative studies by several researchers indicate that nitrogen can be measured with an SEP of 0.411% and 0.167% for green- and dry-grass tissue, respectively.

Keywords

near infrared nitrogen NIR chemometrics multivariate analyses environmental measurements precision agriculture crop monitoring

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