Knowing the nutrient status of a crop and the soil it is grown in can give a producer vital information for making management decisions throughout the season.
Whereas traditionally growers would take plant tissue and soil samples from their fields to send to a lab for testing, ATP Nutrition has developed a diagnostic tool that offers in-field assessments. The NutriScan dramatically shortens the timeline that it takes to get results, says Jarrett Chambers, co-founder of ATP Nutrition.
The device is a near-infrared (NIR) hand-held scanner that can determine the nutrient status in both the soil and leaf tissue in real time within five minutes of testing, says Chambers.
By scanning the leaves after the crop is up, a grower can essentially receive a “report card” on how well the crop is progressing, Chambers explains. Add that to a soil sample taken at the same time and the farmer has a very good picture of what might be coming down the pipeline — nutritionally speaking — for the crop.
For over a decade, ATP Nutrition has been promoting the idea of testing both old and new leaves frequently, Chamber says, and the NutriScan makes this feasible with its subscription based model and the ability to scan more often without paying more.
“Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, are mobile on the plant. The way to look for those nutrient deficiencies are actually not just in the new leaves, but in the old leaves,” Chambers says, “we have a tool that’s quick, it’s diagnostic, so it complements analytical labs… and it’s calibrated for the Canadian market.”
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