Measuring real-time nitrogen loss in cropping

Research showed it was possible to measure and reduce nitrogen (N) loss in real-time from a vegetable production paddock in the Hawke's Bay. How effective would a cover crop be in soaking up excess N from the paddock over winter? This article summarises the results of a Rural Professionals Fund project that aimed to compare data from a nitrate sensor installed in situ with data from grab samples, and to establish if in situ measurements could be used as a reliable source of information to enable real-time modification of good agricultural practices. All text in this article is licensed for re-use under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). First published in New Ground magazine (Vol. 2), December 2022