Project Grant 20213361035832

FARMERS RELY ON SOIL ANALYSES TO HELP THEM ASSESS THE LEVELS OF PLANT NUTRIENTS TO PLAN FERTILIZATION, TILLAGE, AND PLANTING TASKS. SOIL ANALYSIS AND THE REMEDIAL ACTION TAKEN DIRECTLY AFFECT CROP QUALITY AND YIELD, AFFECTING DOWNSTREAM MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IN FOOD & BEVERAGE COMPANIES (LIKE HARVESTING, FOOD PROCESSING, AND PACKAGING) SIGNIFICANTLY. THE CONVENTIONAL APPROACH TO SOIL ANALYSIS INVOLVES SENDING SAMPLES TO FAR-OFF LABORATORIES, AND RESULTS MAY BE DELIVERED DAYS LATER. THIS APPROACH IS TIME-CONSUMING, TEDIOUS, AND LABORIOUS. TODAY, GROWERS MAY CHOOSE TO ANALYZE SOILS LESS FREQUENTLY AND ONLY IN SOME FIELDS AND, AT TIMES, MAY DECIDE NOT TO ANALYZE SOIL AT ALL. AS A RESULT, SOIL TREATMENTS MAY NOT FIT THE SOIL/CROP REQUIREMENTS RESULTING IN LOWER YIELDS.VARIABLE-RATE TECHNOLOGY (VRT) - WHICH ALLOWS FERTILIZER, CHEMICALS, WATER, ETC., TO BE APPLIED AT DIFFERENT RATES ACROSS A FARM AUTOMATICALLY - IS AT THE HEART OF PA. PA PROMISES THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROACTIVE SOILHEALTH MANAGEMENT TO FARMERS AND THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY. ON-THE-GO SOIL PROPERTY MEASUREMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO VRT, AND TODAY'S SOIL SENSORS ARE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE TO DELIVER PA CAPABILITY TO FARMERS. OUR INNOVATION ADDRESSES THIS UNMET NEED IN A LARGE GLOBAL MARKET. WITH OVER 2 MILLION FARMS IN THE US ALONE, THE COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR IDEA IS SIGNIFICANT.THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH USDA'S SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION GOALS. AS THE WORLD FACES INCREASED DEMAND FOR FOOD, RESOURCES LIKE LAND, WATER, AND FERTILIZERS MUST BE MANAGED PROACTIVELY AND OPTIMALLY. OUR PRODUCT WILL ENABLE GROWERS TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN SOIL TREATMENT AND CONSUME OPTIMAL WATER AND FERTILIZER AMOUNTS WHILE PROTECTING SOIL AND WATER QUALITY.