Hyperspectral sensors affixed to small aircraft can accurately detect the nitrogen status of crops, according to a University of Illinois research study.

Powerful sensors on planes can detect crop nitrogen

Hyperspectral imagery offers cost-effective, quick assessment

Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers transformed agriculture during the Green Revolution, catapulting crop yields and food security to new heights.  But despite improvements in crop nitrogen use efficiency, fears of underperformance still spur fertilizer overapplication. Excess nitrogen then ends up in waterways, including groundwater, and in the atmosphere in the form of potent greenhouse gases. Why it […] Read more