Lakehead Innovation Cuts Fertilizer Waste, Boosts Farm Profits, and Supports Climate Goals

At the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS), Dr. Gautam Das, professor in the department of physics, is developing a low-cost, high-tech device that will help farmers apply fertilizer more effectively. 

Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for healthy crops, which is contained in fertilizers. However, much of the available nitrogen is not absorbed by crops. It is instead lost to the atmosphere and waterways through various pathways, contributing to air and water pollution, climate change, and economic burden to farmers.

Currently, farmers lack a precise, real-time method to measure this nitrogen loss, making it a constant balancing act to apply enough fertilizer while minimizing environmental impact. To address this, Dr. Das's interdisciplinary team has developed a prototype device based on patented technology to accurately detect and measure gases such as nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), and oxides of nitrogen released from fertilized fields. With support from industry partner Nutrien, a PhD student in Dr. Das’s research group is developing a specialized laser to be integrated into the prototype, enhancing the device’s sensitivity and accuracy. 

This new technology will provide a clear, real-time picture of nitrogen loss, enabling farmers to make smarter decisions about fertilizer use. By incorporating readily available components from the telecommunications industry, the new device is more cost-effective than current systems, making this advanced technology widely accessible to farmers in Canada and around the world. 

Dr. Das's innovation offers multiple advantages: the technology will not only help farmers increase crop yields and profits while using less fertilizer and reducing pollution, but it could also set a new industry standard for nitrogen allocation in commercial crops, benefitting the entire agricultural supply chain from fertilizer producers to distributors and agribusinesses. Additionally, the technology will provide scientists, agronomists, and policymakers with data that will help them make informed decisions on the most effective fertilizers to use in specific climates to optimize plant growth and minimize nitrogen loss. 

Lakehead University provides a powerful tool for farming communities to protect the planet while securing a stable and secure food supply. This project is funded in part by the governments of Canada and Ontario under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial initiative.