Technological tools for improving crop nutrition

Crop nutrition – the application of fertilisers – is a vital agricultural practice. Among other benefits, fertilisers increase yields and improve the quality characteristics of crops. However, to bring these benefits, fertilisers must be applied in a rational way so that the crop receives exactly the amount it needs – no more, no less. Creating a fertilisation plan that adapts throughout the growing season based on environmental conditions and plant needs is also important. In other words, farmers need to adjust both the dosage and timing of fertiliser applications.

Technology can help. Specifically, there are tools that measure plant requirements and calculate how much fertiliser farmers will need to use, depending on climate conditions at a given time.

As part of an EU project, more than 170 such tools were compiled on a digital platform addressed to nine European countries, including Greece. Each of these nine countries appointed a team of researchers, farmers, commercial partners and agricultural advisers to inspect the tools and assess their suitability for local farmers. The project focuses on the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and on wheat, corn and potato crops. The project aims to provide farmers with precise data regarding their crops, enabling them to make better decisions when applying fertiliser. When all the tools have been evaluated, they will be published on the digital platform in all nine languages so that more farmers can access them and find the one that suits their needs.