Eugene, Ore. — SupraSensor Technologies (SupraSensor) is developing sensors to wirelessly monitor nitrate fertilizer and provide real-time information about fertilizer levels in a growing field. The company says such detailed information can help farmers reduce over-fertilization and save money, while reducing the environmental impact of over-application and runoff. Plants can only absorb a certain amount of nitrogen, and SupraSensor says the sensors can reduce fertilizer use by 30 percent. Chemist and SupraSensor CEO Dr. Calden Carroll told Green Markets the company’s name refers to supramolecular chemistry, which examines the interactions between molecules. He discovered the receptor used in the sensor as he studied with Univ. of Oregon chemistry professors and eventual SupraSensor co-founders Darren Johnson and Mike Haley. Carroll was working to develop a receptor to select for chlorides, and instead found one for nitrates. He said that the SupraSensor methodology measures “a direct molecular interaction rather than conducting an indirect measurement of nitrate such as leaf greenness, measuring the actual molecules of nitrate in the ground.” He said they were about mid-way through the development cycle, and that they were waiting for Phase II to really test the large-scale manufacturability cost of the product. The company hopes to price the sensor at around $200. He said the sensors “leave the lab calibrated for essentially 2 ppm to 120-150 ppm” and could go wider. The sensors are left in the ground and are “pretty small,” with about 9 months of data logging capability, and there is no need for an external logger since the data can be retrieved with a Smartphone app. Carroll said that in addition to the scientific applications, as an avid fisherman he would like to reduce algal blooms, which can occur from nitrate runoff when excess fertilizer is applied. SupraSensor is conducting beta testing in the U.S. and hopes to begin testing in the southern hemisphere to incorporate data from two growing seasons. He added that the company is always looking for input and that he spends “a lot of time talking to people, because we want to develop something they would actually like to use.” If individuals are interested in beta testing or have project development suggestions, the company welcomes ideas and can be contacted on their website, www.suprasensor.com.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain