Use Case 5: Improving Soil Management to Reverse Negative Long-Term Trends in Soil Organic Matter in Serbia
Overview:
Agricultural practices in Serbia, particularly in the Vojvodina region, have led to significant declines in soil organic content (SOC) due to intensive farming and mineral fertiliser use. Currently, only 1% of Serbian soils have more than 5% humus. Our use case aims to reverse this trend by implementing advanced soil management techniques. It involves mapping soil health parameters to inform practices for optimising fertiliser application and seeding, contributing to better soil health and farm profitability.
Challenges:
- Intensive historical soil management practices: have led to diminishing soil health.
- Soil variability: High variability in soil properties across large plots results in non-optimal yields from uniform management practices.
- Extreme weather conditions: The recent decade has seen extreme weather, affecting SOC and complicating soil management.
- Lack of updated technology: Need for integration of modern sensors and technologies for accurate soil mapping and analysis.
Smart Farming Applications involved:
- Variable-rate macronutrient fertilisation
- Variable-rate seeding
Expected Outcomes:
- Enhanced soil management: Improved nutrient availability and better overall soil health through precise soil mapping and targeted fertilisation.
- Economic benefits: Increased crop yields and reduced costs associated with fertiliser application and soil testing.
- Increased adoption: Greater implementation of variable-rate technologies among Serbian farmers, leading to more sustainable farming practices.
- Improved soil health: Increased SOC levels and overall soil fertility through refined soil management techniques.