Smart-N Precision: Revolutionizing Nitrogen Management to Mitigate Lodging and Maximize Wheat Yields through Multispectral Imaging

Auster Technology developed Smart-N, a nitrogen management system leveraging remote sensing and proprietary algorithms to optimize fertilizer application rates. In June 2022, a field trial in central Brazil focused on wheat crops revealed the system’s ability to reduce lodging, a common issue caused by excessive nitrogen application that impacts yield and grain quality.

The project mapped a field using multispectral imagery processed in PIX4Dfields to assess nitrogen variability. Recommendations were generated using Smart-N’s algorithm, combining field data with imagery. The team applied nitrogen at variable rates to one half of the field and a fixed rate to the other, maintaining the same average nitrogen rate overall.

Subsequent mapping, conducted three weeks before harvest, demonstrated a dramatic reduction in lodging in the Smart-N treated area (4.82%) compared to the fixed-rate side (56.65%). The results were validated using satellite imagery in PIX4Dfields, strengthening the credibility of the analysis. The success of this project highlights Smart-N's ability to mitigate nitrogen-related lodging and optimize wheat productivity.