Farmers apply millions of tonnes of fertiliser each year without knowing what their soil actually contains. This matters because the current alternatives are all inadequate. Laboratory soil testing is slow and expensive. Computer models fail under real-world variability. Remote sensors cannot detect nutrients underground. As a result, farmers overuse nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—releasing nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, and causing phosphorus runoff that creates algal blooms and aquatic dead zones. They also waste money on inputs that deliver little benefit. The project will develop a low-cost electrochemical sensor that measures nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in real time, directly in the field. The sensor uses electrode surface functionalisation to generate measurable signals from target nutrients, combining high selectivity with durability under soil conditions. If successful, the tool could transform fertiliser management. Global fertiliser consumption exceeds 185 million tonnes annually. In the UK alone, over 4 million tonnes are applied each year, with nutrient-use efficiency remaining stubbornly low. Even modest improvements in accuracy could boost farm margins, improve yields, and reduce environmental harm—while supporting compliance, carbon markets, and water quality schemes.
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Agriculture is operating in a state of urgency. Each year, farmers apply millions of tonnes of fertiliser—primarily nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)—with limited visibility into their soils’ actual needs. This reliance on averages and guesswork creates systemic inefficiency, drives environmental damage, and increases financial risk. Nitrogen overuse releases nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas hundreds of times more potent than carbon dioxide. Phosphorus runoff contributes to algal blooms and aquatic dead zones. Potassium mismanagement weakens crop resilience. At the same time, farmers incur significant costs for inputs that may deliver little benefit and even accelerate regulatory scrutiny and ecological harm. The root problem is the absence of a viable sensor. Despite decades of research, there is still no affordable, robust, and user-friendly tool for in-field measurement of soil NPK levels. Laboratory testing is slow and expensive, modelling approaches often break down under real-world variability, and remote sensing cannot directly detect subsurface nutrients. Even the most advanced farms remain dependent on broad assumptions and outdated fertiliser plans. Precision agriculture is, therefore, incomplete. Our project will address this critical gap by developing a low-cost, in-field electrochemical sensor capable of quantifying nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in real time. The sensor will leverage advanced electrode surface functionalisation to selectively interact with target nutrient species. These interactions generate measurable electrochemical signals, enabling rapid and accurate nutrient analysis. Building on expertise in electrochemical sensing, soil health, and sustainability policy, the team will design sensors that combine high selectivity, durability under soil conditions, and practical usability in farming contexts. The result will be a portable, farmer-friendly decision-support tool that delivers actionable results at the point of use—a step-change from lab-based testing to real-time, in-field monitoring. The potential impact is significant. Global fertiliser consumption exceeds 185 million tonnes annually, costing the sector tens of billions. In the UK alone, over 4 million tonnes are applied each year, with nutrient-use efficiency remaining stubbornly low. Even modest improvements in accuracy could generate substantial economic, agronomic, and environmental benefits—boosting margins, improving yields, and reducing harmful externalities. The addressable market is broad and expanding, encompassing farmers, agronomists, cooperatives, ag-retailers, input manufacturers, regulators, and environmental monitoring agencies. Beyond productivity gains, there is rising demand for compliance, sustainability reporting, and transparent nutrient data to support carbon markets, water quality schemes, and regenerative certification. This innovation directly meets that need, aligning agricultural productivity with environmental responsibility and regulatory requirements.
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