Things are moving forward in the Intelligence for Soil project: a new carrier platform for soil mapping is currently being equipped with innovative sensor technology at the ATB. In the future, the various sensor systems will provide high-resolution information on soil properties and enable precise management of N, P, K and lime fertilisation - differentiated for almost every square metre of soil.
In the I4S project (Integrated System for Site-Specific Management of Soil Fertility - Part A - Development and Testing of Sensor Platforms), partners from science, industry and practice have been working together since 2015 - now in the third project phase. The aim is to develop a sensor-based system that will, in particular, provide recommendations for site-specific fertilisation management and thus help to improve soil functions and reduce environmental pollution. Information on the I4S project can also be found here (in German): https://biooekonomie.de/foerderung/foerderbeispiele/sensor-plattform-zum-ortsspezifischen-bodenmanagement
So far, the researchers have, among other things, developed and tested new soil sensors with the help of a first sensor platform. In order to further develop the sensor platform for soil mapping suitable for practical use, a new mobile carrier module is now available. The new carrier module already enables automated soil sampling while on the move. In the forthcoming months, five new innovative sensor systems will be integrated and the data management and automated control will be further developed into a user-friendly system.
"Integrated System for Site-Specific Management of Soil Fertility (Intelligence for Soil - I4S)" is one of ten interdisciplinary consortia working on the scientific basis for sustainable soil use under the umbrella of the BMBF's long-term funding measure "BonaRes - Soil as a Sustainable Resource for the Bioeconomy", which was launched in 2015. ATB is coordinating the I4S project. Funding is provided by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF
Contact ATB: Sebastian Vogel