![](images/Logos/PhysOrg.jpg)
June 20, 2023
By
University of Texas at Austin
Smart farming platform improves crop yields, minimizes
pollution
![](images/images_07_18_2023/smart-farming-platform-7.jpg)
Credit: University of Texas at Austin
A new farming system developed by researchers at
The University of Texas at Austin aims to solve one of the biggest
problems in modern agriculture: the overuse of fertilizers to improve
crop yields and the resulting chemical runoff that pollutes the
world's air and water.
The smart farming system uses a copper-based hydrogel that captures
excess nitrate waste from fertilizer runoff and transforms it into
ammonia—a critical element in fertilizers—that can then be reused. In
tests, the system had the ability to match or increase crop yields
over traditional methods while also minimizing environmental impacts.
"We designed this system and showed that it can grow the same or more
crops without overusing nitrogen, which can contaminate groundwater
and lead to harmful greenhouse gases," said Guihua Yu, a professor of
materials science in the Cockrell School of Engineering's Walker
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Texas Materials Institute.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, shows that the copper-based gel film not only produces
ammonia from nitrate waste but also senses nitrogen levels in the
soil. This detection capability helps determine the optimal time to
drain nitrate, a nitrogen compound that is important for plant growth
but can be a pollutant, from the soil to convert to ammonia, keeping
it from escaping and contaminating the surrounding environment.
![](images/images_07_18_2023/smart-farming-platform-5.jpg)
Credit: University of Texas at Austin
As part of the project, the researchers worked
with agricultural experts to compare their work to traditional farming
methods. The smart farming system produced wheat and rice plants that
grew taller with bigger leaves, compared with other methods, with less
nitrogen runoff.
In addition to environmental impacts, excess use of nitrogen
fertilizers can also stunt the growth of crops, defeating their
purpose of improving production. By simultaneously producing ammonia
and monitoring nitrogen levels, this new technology improves crop
growth by helping plants take in and use nitrogen more efficiently.
So-called smart farming is a growing research area. World leaders are
grappling with how to produce enough food for the global population
expected to increase by more than 2 billion people by 2050 with tight
land availability and the need to minimize harmful emissions.
![](images/images_07_18_2023/smart-farming-platform-6.jpg)
Credit: University of Texas at Austin
Farming isn't the only industry that creates
significant nitrogen pollution. Industrial and municipal wastewater
often features high levels of nitrate because of production of
electronics, food processing, textile manufacturing and more.
"We need to feed our growing population, but we also need to protect
our water and air," Yu said. "Finding ways to capture and recycle
nitrate-heavy wastewater could have tremendous benefits across the
board."
The research builds on previous agricultural breakthroughs from Yu and
his team, including the creation of self-watering soil and an
innovative way to produce urea, another key element in fertilizers.
The researchers' next step will be to infuse artificial intelligence
into this farming platform. By doing that, they aim to expand the
range of crops they can work on and further scale up fertilizing
operations.
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