Billy has spent his whole life working on a farm. His land has been in the family for generations and Billy is dedicated to keeping the farm innovative and sustainable so it will be available for his own children. With sustainability as an ideal for Billy, he is concerned about applying too much nitrogen to his plants, but he doesn’t want to under fertilize them and cause a decrease in yield and a decrease in profit.
PhotosynQ
for Farming
Problem
According to Billy, some of the main concerns for environments near farms come from excessive nitrogen applications. Although nitrogen is one of the key nutrients for plant growth, in large quantities it can be harmful.. For instance, overuse can cause an imbalance in the plant tissue makeup and cause plants to become softer and more susceptible to pests and diseases. In addition, nitrogen promotes vegatative growth which in turn can inhibit reproductive growth and decrease yields and profit. A final concern is that excess nitrogen can mix with run-off or groundwater and make its way into streams, lakes, and rivers to cause eutrophication and deplete water oxygen content by stimulating the overgrowth of photosynthetic organisms. Billy has been looking for a more modern, sophisticated technology to aid in his nitrogen content estimation for proper application.
Solution
Billy looked no further than PhotosynQ. With the simple, efficient, hand-held device of the MultispeQ, Billy was able to take SPAD (Special Products Analysis Division) measurements in seconds. He was able to use this to evaluate the relative chlorophyll content in the leaves and estimate the nitrogen status of his plants. Given this information, Billy was able to apply the correct amount of nitrogen fertilizers for his plants and protect the environment from the harms of nitrogen overuse. With PhotosynQ technology Billy will be able to protect his land to make sure it will be around and available for future generations of farmers.
