Novel sensor concepts for agriculture
Agriculture faces the challenge of meeting the food demands of a growing global population while the amount of arable land continues to shrink.
In Central Europe, the loss of agricultural land is less climate‑related and instead driven by competing land uses and soil sealing. A paradigm shift is needed: fertile soils should be protected and intensively cultivated, while less productive areas should be used for multiple purposes such as agro‑photovoltaics. At the same time, agricultural efficiency must be increased and resource consumption (water, energy, fertilizers, pesticides) reduced to minimize environmental impacts.
Solution approach
The research project we are funding in the field of precision agriculture at Kiel University (Christian‑Albrechts‑Universität zu Kiel) addresses this challenge directly. By developing and deploying novel nanoscale intelligent functional materials, agricultural sensors with previously unattainable sensitivity and selectivity (for example, for specific nutrients) are being created. Ideally, this would allow farmers to control the application of fertilizers or crop protection products in real time, minimizing environmental damage without risking yield losses.
Profile
- Duration: 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2026
- Funding amount: 1,000,000 euros
- Participants:
- Prof. Dr. Martina Gerken (Sensor system technology)
- Prof. Dr. Sandra Spielvogel (Sensor carrier concept)
- Prof. Dr. Rainer Adelung (Sensor carrier concept)
- Prof. Dr. Zeynep Altintas (Sensors for additional macro-/micronutrients
Contact
