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University: Estonian University of Life Sciences University of Tartu

Project number PA1-PR-VAEABC

Date of the project: 01.01.2023–31.12.2026

Project:

Modernisation of crop fertilisation standards, including development of digital application capacity and measurement of greenhouse gas flows from fertilisation. [Coordinator project]

Annotation

Project goals

The aim is to update the normative limits for fertilisation of agricultural crops grown in Estonia (Water Act, Decree of the Minister of the Environment No 45 of 03.10.2019) with regard to the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N, P and K) and the coefficients needed to calculate the balance of these nutrients (ABC of Fertilisation). The current fertilisation recommendations (ABC) are outdated, based mainly on experimental data from the 1960s and do not correspond to modern yields, agrotechnology and crop inventory. Since the growing conditions of crops are strictly dependent on the country's weather, soil and other site-specific conditions, it is not possible in Estonia to adopt or adapt the standards of other countries.
As a result of the four-year trial period (2023-2026), partially revised fertilisation standards and nutrient balance coefficients for N, P and K will be developed and can be introduced from 2027. This will allow a more efficient use of these nutrients and limit their input into water bodies and groundwater. The baseline data collected in the study will allow for the updating of existing guidance materials and the development and update of new digital fertilisation advice (including location-based) applications for farmers.

In contrast to the water and soil environment, fertilisation standards have not previously considered their impact on climate through greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes (N2O, CH4, CO2), but increasingly stringent GHG emission rules (including from the LULUCF sector) make it important to assess the impact of fertilisation standards on gas fluxes. The impact of the fertilisation rate on the GHG fluxes of tallow can be quantified in a pilot year. This will provide a primary basis for modelling GHG emissions from wheat production in Estonia. The development of this model will support the capacity to analyse the impact of crop management decisions on GHG emissions.Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Creating a modern concept for a large-scale digital soil map and updating the existing soil map [Coordinator project]

The existing large-scale Estonian soil map is a unique, widely used and has a high value, but needs to be partially updated in terms of soil units distribution, spatial accuracy, topology, as well as the related database.
The main goal of the project is to develop a road map and modern methodological approach for modernizing the soil map. In order to achieve the objective, the most important activities are:
- the existing vector map database is updated and new parameters are added (incl. references are established with the international WRB classification and texture distributions);
- a matrix of soil change risks and a map layer reflecting probability for changes in soil will be developed, which will make it possible to distinguish between areas and data sets that need to be updated as a matter of priority;
- to develop and validate a method for specifying the distribution of peat soils and eroded soils;
- to add new soil classes missing in current vector map to cover distribution and attribute data in urban, and mining areas and to represent sealed soils.Classical soil field exploration and classification, laboratory analysis, remote sensing and machine learning methods and other novel technologies are combined to carry out the work. Modelling is based on combination of pedotransfer functions as well as machine learning supported by expert assessments. Previous datasets are used to develop the methodology, update and validate the map layers and additional fieldwork is carried out.