New program to help farmers better use nitrogen fertilizer

The Guardian reports that researchers at Cornell University have developed a computer program for farmers to regulate nitrogen fertilizer.

Nitrogen is a vital greenhouse gas that is used in agriculture for crops. However, nitrogen gets lost with precipitation as well as in the atmosphere. In order to help track this, the program, Adapt-N, operates online and allows farmers to put in information regarding their fields and fertilizer used, and couples with weather reports to track the fertilizer. Farmers are then sent email updates with reports about fertilizer use. The program is designed to help farmers determine when to use fertilizer and how much to use.

From The Guardian:

“According to Dr Harold van Es, professor and chair of Cornell University’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, the tool combines three major innovations: research that shows nitrogen variability can be managed, cloud computing technology, and high-resolution weather information.”

Via: The Guardian > New technology helps farmers conserve fertilizer and protect their crops