Skip to main content

Proximal Soil Nutrient Sensing Using Electrochemical Sensors

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Proximal Soil Sensing

Part of the book series: Progress in Soil Science ((PROSOIL))

Abstract

Site-specific crop management requires the collection of high spatial resolution soil property data. Currently, electromagnetic (EM) induction or soil electrical resistance sensors, which measure soil electrical conductivity, are commonly used for this purpose. From the measurements, a number of related soil properties, e.g. clay content, are inferred. Although these techniques enable rapid, low-cost measurements that are able to capture within-field soil variability, they do not provide information on soil nutrient concentrations directly. This chapter reviews research conducted towards the development of proximal soil nutrient sensors using two forms of electrochemical sensors: ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) and ion-sensitive field effect transistors (ISFETs). It provides a brief introduction to electrochemical sensors and reviews their application for rapid low-cost soil analysis and proximal sensing. Over the last three decades, electrochemical sensors have been used in the laboratory to reduce the time, cost, and complexity of soil nutrient analysis. More recent studies suggest that ISEs and ISFETs have the potential to be used for rapid in situ soil analysis. However, the technologies have some limitations, particularly for on-the-go proximal soil sensing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adamchuk VI, Lund ED (2008) On-the-go mapping of soil pH using antimony electrodes. ASABE paper no. 083995, St. Joseph, Michigan

    Google Scholar 

  • Adamchuk VI, Lund ED, Dobermann A, Morgan MT (2003) On-the-go mapping of soil properties using ion-selective electrodes. In Stafford JV, Werner A (eds) Precision agriculture. Wageningen Academic, Wageningen, pp 27–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Adamchuk VI, Lund ED, Reed TM, Ferguson RB (2007) Evaluation of an on-the-go technology for soil pH mapping. Precis Agric 8:139–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adamchuk VI, Lund ED, Sethuramasamyraja B, Morgan MT, Dobermann A, Marx DB (2005) Direct measurement of soil chemical properties on-the-go using ion-selective electrodes. Comput Electron Agric 48:272–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adamchuk VI, Morgan MT, Brouder SM (2006) Development of an on-the-go soil pH mapping method: analysis of measurement variability. Appl Eng Agric 22:335–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adamchuk VI, Morgan MT, Ess DR (1999) An automated sampling system for measuring soil pH. Trans ASAE 42:885–891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adsett JF, Thottan JA, Sibley KJ (1999) Development of an automated on-the-go soil nitrate monitoring system. Appl Eng Agric 15:351–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adsett JF, Zoerb GC (1991) Automated field monitoring of soil nitrate levels. In: Proceedings of the ASAE symposium on automated agriculture for the 21st century. Chicago, 16–17 December 1991. pp 326–335. American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St Joseph, MI

    Google Scholar 

  • Artigas J, Beltran A, Jimenez C, Baldi A, Mas R, Dominguez C, Alonso J (2001) Application of ion sensitive field effect transistor based sensors to soil analysis. Comput Electron Agric 31:281–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergveld P (1972) Development, operation, and application of ion-sensitive field effect transistor as a tool for electrophysiology. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng BM 19:342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bergveld P (2003) Thirty years of ISFETOLOGY – what happened in the past 30 years and what may happen in the next 30 years. Sens Actuat B-Chem 88:1–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birrell SJ, Hummel JW (1997) Multi-sensor ISFET system for soil analysis. In: Precision agriculture '97. Volume II. Technology, IT and management. Papers presented at the 1st European conference on precision agriculture, Warwick University, UK, 7–10 Sept 1997, pp 459–468. Bios Scientific Publishers Ltd

    Google Scholar 

  • Birrell SJ, Hummel JW (2001) Real-time multi ISFET/FIA soil analysis system with automatic sample extraction. Comput Electron Agric 32:45–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bremner JM, Bundy LG, Agarwal AS (1968) Use of a selective ion electrode for determination of nitrate in soil. Anal Lett 1:837–844

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dahnke WC (1971) Use of the nitrate specific ion electrode in soil testing. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 2:73–84

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davenport JR, Jabro JD (2001) Assessment of hand held ion selective electrode technology for direct measurement of soil chemical properties. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 32:3077–3085

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Domingue KJ, Price RR, Mailander MP (2005) Real time soil nitrate sensing. ASAE paper no. 051031, St. Joseph, Michigan

    Google Scholar 

  • Esashi M, Matsuo T (1978) Integrated micro multi ion sensor using field-effect of semiconductor. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 25:184–192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim HJ, Hummel JW, Sudduth KA, Birrell SJ (2007a) Evaluation of phosphate ion-selective membranes and cobalt-based electrodes for soil nutrient sensing. In: Annual meeting of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, ASAE, St Joseph, MI, pp 415–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim HJ, Hummel JW, Sudduth KA, Motavalli PP (2007b) Simultaneous analysis of soil macronutrients using ion-selective electrodes. Soil Sci Soc Am J 71:1867–1877

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loreto AB, Morgan MT (1996) Development of an automated system for field measurement of soil nitrate. ASAE paper no. 96-1087, St. Joseph, Michigan

    Google Scholar 

  • Lund ED, Colin PE, Christy D, Drummond PE (1999) Applying soil electrical conductivity technology to precision agriculture. In: Robert PC et al (eds) Precision agriculture. Proceedings. 4th International Conference, St. Paul, MN. 19–22 July 1998, ASA, CSSA, and SSA, Madison, WI

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsuo T, Wise KD (1974) Integrated field-effect electrode for biopotential recording. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng BM21:485–487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Flaherty BD, Barry EF, Cholli AL (2000) A rapid soil nutrient sensor device based on capillary zone electrophoresis. J Environ Sci Health A – Tox/Hazard Subst Environ Eng 35:189–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oien A and Selmer-Olsen AR (1969) Nitrate determination in soil extracts with the nitrate electrode. Analyst 94:888–894

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price RR, Hummel JW, Birrell SJ and Ahmad IS (2003) Rapid nitrate analysis of soil cores using ISFETs. Trans ASAE 46:601–610

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sethuramasamyraja B, Adamchuk VI, Dobermann A, Marx DB, Jones DD, Meyer GE (2008) Agitated soil measurement method for integrated on-the-go mapping of soil pH, potassium and nitrate contents. Comput Electron Agric 60:212–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sethuramasamyraja B, Adamchuk VI, Marx DB, Dobermann A, Meyer GE, Jones DD (2005) Analysis of an ion-selective electrode based methodology for integrated on-the-go mapping of soil pH, potassium, and nitrate contents. In: Annual meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, ASABE, Madison, WI, pp 1927–1935

    Google Scholar 

  • Sibley KJ, Astatkie T, Brewster G, Struik PC, Adsett JF, Pruski K (2009) Field-scale validation of an automated soil nitrate extraction and measurement system. Precis Agric 10:162–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sudduth KA, Drummond ST and Kitchen NR (2001) Accuracy issues in electromagnetic induction sensing of soil electrical conductivity for precision agriculture. Comput Electron Agric 31:239–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sudduth KA, Kitchen NR, Wiebold WJ, Batchelor WD, Bollero GA, Bullock DG, Clay DE, Palm HL, Pierce FJ, Schuler RT, Thelen KD (2005) Relating apparent electrical conductivity to soil properties across the north-central USA. Comput Electron Agric 46:263–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viscarra Rossel RA, McBratney AB (1997) Preliminary experiments towards the evaluation of a suitable soil sensor for continuous, ‘on-the-go’ field pH measurements. Precision agriculture '97. Volume II. Technology, IT and management. Papers presented at the 1st European conference on precision agriculture, Warwick University, UK, 7–10 Sept 1997, pp 493–501

    Google Scholar 

  • Viscarra Rossel RA, McBratney AB (2000) A two-factor empirical deterministic response surface calibration model for site-specific predictions of lime requirement. Precis Agric 2:163–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viscarra Rossel RA, McBratney AB (2003) Modelling the kinetics of buffer reactions for rapid field predictions of lime requirements. Geoderma 114:49–63

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C.R. Lobsey .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lobsey, C., Rossel, R.V., McBratney, A. (2010). Proximal Soil Nutrient Sensing Using Electrochemical Sensors. In: Viscarra Rossel, R., McBratney, A., Minasny, B. (eds) Proximal Soil Sensing. Progress in Soil Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8859-8_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics