Journal article
Assessing the Potential for Ion Selective Electrodes and Dual Wavelength UV Spectroscopy as a Rapid on-Farm Measurement of Soil Nitrate Concentration
Agriculture (Basel), Vol.3(3), pp.327-341
2013
Abstract
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 (r(2) = 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 (r(2) = 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.
Details
- Title
- Assessing the Potential for Ion Selective Electrodes and Dual Wavelength UV Spectroscopy as a Rapid on-Farm Measurement of Soil Nitrate Concentration
- Authors/Creators
- Rory Shaw - Bangor UniversityA. Prysor Williams - Bangor UniversityAnthony Miller - John Innes CentreDavey L. Jones - Bangor University
- Publication Details
- Agriculture (Basel), Vol.3(3), pp.327-341
- Publisher
- MDPI
- Number of pages
- 15
- Grant note
- Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) DairyCo. BBS/E/C/00004967 / BBSRC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Identifiers
- 991005560321007891
- Copyright
- © 2013 by the authors
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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