Novel in-soil nutrient sensors
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: Metabolic Biology
Abstract
Efficient agriculture requires the targeting of fertilizer applications throughout the year when it is needed by the crop to achieve maximum yields. For nitrogen, if too much is applied at the wrong time then it can be lost to the atmosphere or leached in drainage water before it can be accessed by roots. Crop measurements can be useful indicators of the plant's nutritional status, but when a deficiency is detected by these methods it is already too late to adjust inputs and a sub-maximal yield will result. Earlier and more accurate methods of measuring soil nutrient availability are needed to maintain an optimal supply to crops and minimise the amount lost to the environment. A new type of soil nutrient sensor has been developed and this funding is requested to rigorously field test the system and compare it with current methods. Other uses of the technology will also be tested, including the feasibility of using it to measure other important crop nutrients in the soil.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Tony Miller (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Capstaff NM
(2018)
Improving the Yield and Nutritional Quality of Forage Crops.
in Frontiers in plant science
Capstaff NM
(2021)
Real-time monitoring of rhizosphere nitrate fluctuations under crops following defoliation.
in Plant methods
Capstaff NM
(2020)
Fulvic acid increases forage legume growth inducing preferential up-regulation of nodulation and signalling-related genes.
in Journal of experimental botany
Castro-Rodríguez V
(2016)
Deciphering the molecular basis of ammonium uptake and transport in maritime pine.
in Plant, cell & environment
Fan X
(2016)
Overexpression of a pH-sensitive nitrate transporter in rice increases crop yields.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Fan X
(2017)
Plant nitrate transporters: from gene function to application.
in Journal of experimental botany
Foyer CH
(2016)
Neglecting legumes has compromised human health and sustainable food production.
in Nature plants
Helliwell J
(2014)
Quantifying the impact of microbes on soil structural development and behaviour in wet soils
in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Helliwell JR
(2017)
The emergent rhizosphere: imaging the development of the porous architecture at the root-soil interface.
in Scientific reports
Helliwell JR
(2019)
The role of plant species and soil condition in the structural development of the rhizosphere.
in Plant, cell & environment
| Description | A new type of sensor has been developed to measure the concentrations of nutrients present in soil water. These sensors have been produced using a manufacturing process that has greatly decreased the cost of their production. The decrease in production cost has enabled the field testing of the sensors in a range of different soil and crop types. The sensors can provide a real-time measure of the soil available plant nitrogen so that farmers can better target the application of fertiliser and avoid applying excess to their crops. There are two main forms of soil nitrogen available to crop roots, these are nitrate and ammonium. Soil sensors have been developed to measure both nitrate and ammonium dissolved in the soil water. The soil water concentrations of these forms of nitrogen are important measurements for fertiliser use as they provide a direct indicator of the supply that can be used to match the demand of the crop in any season. Matching supply to demand can enable more efficient use of fertilser, benefitting farmers and the environment. |
| Exploitation Route | The field testing of the sensors is enabling the comparison with the current methods for assessing soil nitrogen availability. This data is being reported to farmers and will be published to enable improved nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency. A key aspect of the production and use of these sensors is balancing a low manufacturing cost with a useful lifetime for use in the field. Another key question for the future use is the number required in a given area to adequately report the soil available nitrogen. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/people/professor-tony-miller/ |
| Description | This research results are being reported to farmers and fertiliser companies. Growers have been involved in the field trials of the soil nitrogen sensors. The IP has been patented and potential commercial partners who already manufacture soil moisture monitoring systems have been identified. Commercial development of the soil nutrient sensors is proceeding with an INNOVATE UK funding and partners who manufacture medical sensors. We have commercial partners in the USA and the UK to build prototypes for beta testing. |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Innovation funding scheme. Productive and sustainable crop and ruminant agricultural systems |
| Amount | £1,560,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 26626 |
| Organisation | Government of the UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2019 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Title | Soil nitrate sensors |
| Description | Development of improved soil sensor technology for the in situ evaluation of nitrate concentrations in soil. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | greater reliability in measurements. |
| Description | Collaboration on project IP |
| Organisation | Plant Bioscience Limited Technology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration with Plant Bioscience Limited (PBL) to commercially develop soil nutrient sensors |
| Collaborator Contribution | Plant Bioscience Limited (PBL) find partners to commercialize the sensors |
| Impact | Patenting |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Title | Czujnik chemiczny gleby |
| Description | Soil sensors were development to measure soil water nutrient concentrations. These can measure nitrate, ammonium, potassium and phosphate dissolved in the soil water. |
| IP Reference | PL2936132T |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2019 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | International application (International Patent Application No. PCT/GB2013/053377) European Patent Application No. 13815810.0 These last two are entitled "Soil nitrate sensor", UK patent has a slightly different title. |
| Description | Attendance and presentation at Sensors in Food and Agriculture 2018 meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Field testing and the research underpinning the soil sensor development was reported at the Sensors in Food and Agriculture 2018 meeting. At this meeting an industrial partner was identified who has relevant expertise to commercially develop the soil sensor technology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.rsc.org/events/detail/33486/sensors-in-food-and-agriculture-2018 |
| Description | Attendance at SAIN workshop - Agricultural Transition and UK China Cooperation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Worshop meeting at the University of East Anglia -13 December 2017. Attended by visitors from CAU (Professor Fusuo Zhang and Prof Xuejun Liu). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | JIC50 public open day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Open Day at JIC celebrating 50 years on the Norwich site. Soil columns featuring the N sensors were displayed to the public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/news-and-events/blog-copy/2017/08/john-innes-celebrates-50-years-norwich-2017 |
| Description | Meeting with Novozymes Industry representatives |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discuss future collaborations with Novozymes representatives (led by Jeanne Kjaer). Skype call with contacts in USA and India. (11 March 2019) I presented my current research and we discussed opportunites for future collaboration. Meeting facilitated by Jon Clarke at JIC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation at Chinese University Lecturers Conference - Fujian Agricultural University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Miller A. J.(2018) Nitrogen uptake and assimialtion in Crop Plants (2 lectures) Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China. Chinese University Lecturers Conference |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation at Mardlers dinner |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Mardlers are a group of approximately 25-30 Norfolk farmers, which all have reach beyond the farm gate, either through processing and marketing of their crops or stock, or through membership of industry bodies, political, research or marketing. There are also members who are involved with banking, accountancy and land agency, and as such they have a very broad range of interests across the agricultural, food and business sectors, both regionally and nationally. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Presentation at UK-China Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 15-17 October Workshop at UEA. Chinese representatives from Anhui Agricultural University (AAU) and Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS). Meeting organized by Dr Yuelai Lu (SAIN, School of International Development, UEA). Title of presentation: Soil Nitrogen and Crops |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Presentation to Suffolk Organic Gardners, Bury St Edmunds |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 'Soils: root/microbial relationships and nutrient cycling' - presentation to the Suffolk Organic Gardeners Association in Bury St Edmunds (11 th February 2020). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/suffolk-organic-gardeners |
| Description | Presentation to a group if Industry Representatives (BAYER) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to BAYER - visiting group of representatives. The effects of a biostimulant on crops and developing soil nutrient sensors. 13 Feb 2019 at Church Farm. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.primeag.co.uk/ |
| Description | PrimeAg visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Eight visitors from PrimeAg visited JIC for half a day. Prime Agriculture LLP is a consultancy partnership of 11 BASIS and FACTS qualified agronomists, working with growers in in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire. http://www.primeag.co.uk/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.primeag.co.uk/ |
| Description | Soil and Plant conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation was titled: Soil health and nutrient supply to plants. Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum 2015 Conference |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |