ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Research → Inventions

Cheap AI sensors could help us curve pesticide use

We may be headed towards another agricultural revolution.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
March 21, 2022
in Agriculture, Future, Inventions
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

The overuse of fertilizer is one of the biggest environmental problems you never hear about. Fertilizers are generally regarded as very useful in agriculture, but overuse of inorganic fertilizers can also cause runoff and erosion, as well as soil and water contamination. A whopping 12% of once-arable land worldwide is now unusable because of overfertilization, and the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers has risen 600% in the past 50 years. Excess nitrogen is also a very potent greenhouse gas, 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

This can turn into a very problematic issue for farmers: too much fertilizer and you degrade and pollute the soil; too little and you risk a poor yield. Optimizing fertilizer usage is a challenging problem, and while sensors do exist, they tend to be expensive. This is where the new sensor comes in — based on a machine learning algorithm, it can not only measure, but also predict how much nitrogen the soil has and whether more fertilization is needed.

Image credits: Jan Kopřiva.

The sensor, called “chemically functionalised paper-based electrical gas sensor” or chemPEGS measures the levels of ammonium in the soil — the compound that bacteria turn into nitrogen compounds. Then, the machine learning algorithm kicks in, combining this level with weather data, time since the last fertilization, soil pH, and conductivity. It then uses all this data to predict how much nitrogen the soil will have up to 12 days in the future, telling the farmer the optimal time for fertilization.

The sensor itself is low-cost, it’s the algorithm inside it that does the heavy lifting. This type of invention is what’s necessary to address the complex and pressing problem of over-fertilizing, says lead researcher Max Grell, who co-developed the technology at Imperial College London’s Department of Bioengineering:

“It’s difficult to overstate the problem of overfertilisation both environmentally and economically. Yields and resulting income are down year by year, and growers don’t currently have the tools they need to combat this.

“Our technology could help to tackle this problem by empowering growers to know how much ammonia and nitrate are currently in soil, and to predict how much there will be in the future based on weather conditions. This could let them fine-tune fertilisation to the specific needs of the soil and crops.”

A close-up of the sensor. Image credits: Imperial College London.

The researchers have currently developed a working prototype. They expect chemPEGS and underlying AI technology to be sold commercially within 3-5 years. Senior author and principal investigator Firat Guder, from Imperial’s Department of Bioengineering, concluded by saying it’s high time we :

“Much of our food comes from soil – a non-renewable resource which we’ll lose if we don’t look after it. This, combined with nitrogen pollution from agriculture, presents a conundrum for the planet – one that we hope to help tackle with precision agriculture.

The study has been published in Nature Food.

RelatedPosts

Arctic warms, polar bears switch diet: dolphins now on the menu
There are vast quantities of mercury in the permafrost. With global warming, it’s now seeping away
30 million years ago, a group of monkeys sailed from Africa to South America
Weakening magnetic field 590 million years ago could have sparked life’s big leap

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Future

AI ‘Reanimated’ a Murder Victim Back to Life to Speak in Court (And Raises Ethical Quandaries)

byNir Eisikovitsand1 others
3 hours ago
News

This Rare Viking Burial of a Woman and Her Dog Shows That Grief and Love Haven’t Changed in a Thousand Years

byMihai Andrei
19 hours ago
Future

This EV Battery Charges in 18 Seconds and It’s Already Street Legal

byTibi Puiu
20 hours ago
Diseases

This new blood test could find cancerous tumors three years before any symptoms

byMihai Andrei
21 hours ago

Recent news

AI ‘Reanimated’ a Murder Victim Back to Life to Speak in Court (And Raises Ethical Quandaries)

June 17, 2025

This Rare Viking Burial of a Woman and Her Dog Shows That Grief and Love Haven’t Changed in a Thousand Years

June 17, 2025

This EV Battery Charges in 18 Seconds and It’s Already Street Legal

June 16, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.