SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

The main steps of system development:

1) Basic research: mathematical description of the correlations between soil NPK supply and NPK effects using a database of domestic outdoor NPK fertilization experiments (1960-2000).

2) Applied research: creating algorithms for the ProPlanta cost- and environment-friendly fertilisation advisory system.

3) Software development: development of a user-friendly computer program for the fertilisation advisory system.

4) Testing in domestic field experiments:

 A) Small plots

  Syngenta experiments (3 crops, 3 sites, 3 year)

  Genezis experiments (4 crops, 9 sites, 6 year)

  IMPHOS experiments (3 crops, 3 sites, 6 year)

 B) Farm scale

  Genezis 500 Club (500 farms, 2-3 crops at each farm, since 2012)

In small plot and field trials, which have been ongoing since 2004, the ProPlanta system have been compared with other advisory systems. In the experiments, all three typical arable land soil types (brown forest soils, chernozem, meadow soils) and all the main crop species (maize, winter wheat, winter barley, sunflower and rapeseed) were involved. The test trials have confirmed the correctness of the principles of the new system and of the method of calculating the fertiliser dose: The test trials proved that the principles of the new system and the method of calculating the fertilizer rate were correct: with 40-60% of the recommendations of the MÉM-NAK system, the new ProPlanta system produced high yields equal to those of the MÉM-NAK system.

Summary results of the IMPHOS experiments