ELECTRONIC DEVICE ANALYZES SOIL NITROGEN
ONE OF THE TECHNOLOGIES that made it to the latest batch of DOST’s Leadership in Innovation Fellowship (LIF) is the Electronic Soil Nitrogen Analyzer or ESNA.
ESNA is an electronic tool that consists of a hand-held instrument, probe, and test kit consumable that analyzes nitrogen from the nitrate concentration of soil using a sensor called nitrate non-selective electrode. The nitrogen output, in terms of parts per million, is then displayed in the LCD of the device.
With the use of ESNA, application of nitrate fertilizers can be optimized. There will be improvement of soil condition, pH level, and fertility, said Dr. Hermogenes M. Paguia, director of research and development at the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) during his presentation of the technology at the Asian Institute of Management.
The device is reliable, effective, cost-efficient and userfriendly. Engr. Rodrigo C. Muñoz Jr., technical developer of ESNA, an associate professor at BPSU College of Architecture and Engineering, added that ESNA was developed to provide smart technology to improve farmers’ profits and promote sustainable agriculture.
The device addresses the problem of declining soil fertility and poor soil texture due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers, resulting in low yields in 1.2 million hectares of rice fields. It also addresses the lack of electronic-based soil kit that will analyze the nitrogen content of soil and give fertilizer recommendation for rice and other crops.
The technology is now open for possible manufacturing and marketing partnerships. Interested partners and investors may send a message to: research@bpsu.edu.ph (ROSEMARIE C. SEÑORA, DOST)