Tackling an underestimated greenhouse gas with low-cost sensors

An innovative project is underway to equip farmers with low-power, cost-effective sensors designed to measure nitrous oxide emissions directly in their fields. This technology offers a promising route towards a more sustainable agriculture by enabling farmers to optimize fertilization and mitigate nitrous oxide emissions.

30.04.2025 by Olivia Keller

Read
Number of comments

field — Roughly three quarters of all anthropogenic N₂O emissions result from agriculture, in particular nitrogen fertilization of soils (Image: Adobe Stock).

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a significant atmospheric pollutant, recognized as a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential approximately 270 times that of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Furthermore, it exhibits ozone-depleting characteristics and possesses a considerable atmospheric lifetime of around 120 years, contributing to long-term environmental concerns.

Addressing the Challenges of Current Nitrous Oxide Monitoring in Agriculture

Recognizing that agricultural soil fertilization represents a major anthropogenic source of these N₂O emissions, an ongoing research project within the Smart Sustainable Farming Research Program is addressing the limitations inherent in current N₂O monitoring methodologies, which often present barriers due to their high cost, technical complexity, and challenges in widespread field implementation. This project seeks to overcome these obstacles by developing more accessible and practical solutions for quantifying agricultural N₂O releases.

N2O measuring station on a field — Established N₂O soil monitoring setup illustrating high material demands and labor-intensive fieldwork (Image: Turry Ouma).

Supporting Informed Decision-Making in Nutrient Management

The project focuses on chemiresistive sensors, which exhibit a change in electrical resistance upon interaction with N₂O. This approach offers a relatively simple and effective means of detecting and quantifying emissions in situ. Initial findings suggest the potential of these sensors to provide farmers with timely data on N₂O fluxes, allowing for more informed decisions regarding fertilizer application and the minimization of nitrogen waste. This can contribute to improved resource efficiency and adherence to environmental regulations.

“The sensors we are developing are intended to assist in optimizing agricultural yields and reducing over-fertilization, thereby contributing to relevant nitrogen reduction pathways.”

Project Researcher Simon Christian Rickert

Future Research Directions

The ongoing research will focus on the development of functional sensor prototypes and their subsequent testing across various field conditions to evaluate their reliability and accuracy. The project will also refine data analysis for practical farmer information and explore wireless data transmission. Finally, efficient sensor production methods will be investigated for wider agricultural adoption upon successful validation.

Find out more about the project:

Project Webpage Download Project Fact Sheet (PDF, 780 KB)

Illustration of the agricultural nitrogen-cycle with multiple chemiresistive sensors attached to a pole for in soil N2O measurement at distinct soil depths. — Illustration of the agricultural nitrogen-cycle with multiple chemiresistive sensors attached to a pole for in soil N₂O measurement at distinct soil depths (Image: Simon Christian Rickert).