Integrated decision support tool for precision irrigation and nutrient management

Overview

Soilnet is developing an integrated decision support application designed to help farmers make more informed, real-time decisions about irrigation and nutrient management. The platform combines mobile analytical instrumentation—including XRF (X-ray fluorescence), portable NIR (near-infrared), and FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectroscopy—with a practical digital interface that collects historical data, tracks trends in nutrient levels and pH, and provides strategic recommendations on fertilizer type and quantity.

The core value proposition is enabling farmers to obtain accurate, timely nutritional diagnoses directly in the field, reducing dependency on traditional laboratory turnaround times and guess-based fertilizer applications. By linking field measurements to actionable recommendations, the tool aims to increase crop efficiency, promote productive use of resources such as water and fertilizer, and generate measurable cost savings for agricultural operations.

Technical specifications

Key features and components:

• Mobile nutritional diagnostics using portable XRF, NIR, and FTIR instruments for on-site soil and crop analysis
• Digital decision support platform providing real-time recommendations for irrigation scheduling and nutrient application
• Historical data collection that records past measurements, inputs, and outputs for traceability
• Trend visualization displaying nutrient levels, pH, and efficiency metrics against fertilizer type and quantity
• Process-mapped workflow covering every step from farmer location identification through to fertilizer recommendation
• Comparative analysis module designed to benchmark results against traditional soil analysis and fertilization methods
• Farmer-facing interface designed for practicality and ease of use in field conditions

Technology readiness level

The technology is currently at an early-to-mid development stage. Soilnet is actively collecting crop materials and analyzing soil samples across multiple instruments to build the analytical foundation of the platform. A complete process map has been developed to define the inputs, outputs, and stakeholders involved from field sampling through to fertilizer recommendation.

The planned validation roadmap includes: developing structured sampling plans covering different areas, varieties, and ages; scheduling and executing sample collection; processing and shipping samples to the Soilnet laboratory in the United States for analysis; comparing results against traditional methods; generating fertilizer recommendations; conducting pre- and post-fertilization sampling cycles; and performing two rounds of application testing with farmers to gather feedback and iterate on usability. The tool is not yet commercially deployed and is seeking collaboration partners to support continued development and field validation.