Trials 2021 and 2022

VULTUS field trials were conducted in 2020 and 2021 to evaluate and validate the nitrogen recommendation (NR) model developed by VULTUS using satellite imagery data. The performance trials were conducted both years at different locations in Europe and Asia: Sweden, Germany, China, and Pakistan. The primary objective of these trials was to quantify how the VULTUS NR model performs at different locations and how this product can satisfy grower specific goals by lowering their fertilizer costs, getting the right amount of fertilizer to the right zones of the field, increasing their crop yields, and decrease their greenhouse gas emissions.

Method 

The fields were divided into two zones of equal size (see Figure 1); a test zone where variable technology (VRT) was used and a control zone where the fertilizer was applied at a constant rate. All seed was treated, the chemicals and rates used varied according to the preferences of the planted crop. 

Figure 1: An example shows the trail design and both zones flat and VRT zones.

Potato Field Trials 

The 2021 Potato field trials were conducted at two areas in Sweden: (Skåne and Halland) and in fields between 6.5 and 12.5 ha. The zones within a location were harvested on a single day and the yield was calculated by weighing, counting, and measuring the starch content for both test and control zone. Overall, the results show that in the zones using NR data and VRT the yield increased by 11.3 t/ha and starch harvest t/ha were higher for the VRT zone by 1.7 t/ha. Likewise, the amount of fertilizer used during the entire growing season was reduced by 35% for VRT zones compared to control zones.  

Wheat Field Trials 

The wheat trials were conducted in 2020 and 2021 and in 3 countries: China, Pakistan and Germany (Table 1) and in fields from 2.5 to 4.8 ha. The results show that in all countries the fertilizer usage was reduced with up to 31% in the test zones. In Germany and Pakistan, the yield increased by 2% in the test zones compared to the control zones while in China, the yield result was similar for the two zones. The reason for this is that the trial in China experienced extreme heat conditions throughout the flowering period.  

Country	Year	Field Size	Increased Yield t/ha	Decreased Fertilizer Usage
Pakistan	2020	2.65	1	10%
China	2020	2.5	-	31.5%
Germany	2021	4.8	1.06	26.5%