The Evaluation of Ground Based Remote Sensing Systems for Canopy Nitrogen Management in Winter Wheat - Economic Efficiency

Three nitrogen strategies are currently used in nitrogen management in winter wheat husbandry (Uniform application, Sensor based and Zonal application). Active and passive ground based remote sensing systems have been used to estimate the variability of nitrogen requirements. This paper reviews economical analyses of two experiments conducted in 2006 in winter wheat fields. First experiment (Wilstead, UK) assessed the two remote sensing systems and the second (Oponice, Slovakia) assessed the three nitrogen application strategies. From the results of economical analyses it can be concluded that the cost of using the ground based remote sensing sensors in the UK was £11/ha which could be offset by the 15 kgN/ha reduction and a potential small increase of yield by 1%. The use of sensors in Slovakian experiment influenced the costs of fertilising by 7.9% for SENSOR based application and 28.62 % for ZONAL nitrogen application, whilst the overall production costs were increased by 2.67% and 5.21% for SENSOR and ZONAL respectively. The variable application (at this field and for this growing season) did not bring any economic benefit