Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #389219
Research Project: Sustaining Productivity and Ecosystem Services of Agricultural and Horticultural Systems in the Southeastern United States

Location: Soil Dynamics Research

Title: Neutron-gamma soil analysis for digital agriculture

Author
item Yakubova, Galina
item Kavetskiy, Aleksandr
item SARGSYAN, NIKOLAY - Auburn University
item Prior, Stephen - Steve
item Torbert, Henry - Allen

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/20/2022
Publication Date: 3/9/2022
Citation: Yakubova, G.N., Kavetskiy, A.G., Sargsyan, N., Prior, S.A., Torbert III, H.A. 2022. Neutron-gamma soil analysis for digital agriculture. In Shamshiri, R.R., Shafian S., editors. Digital Agriculture, Methods and Applications. Rijeka, Croatia: IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102128.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102128

Interpretive Summary: This book chapter discussed the use of neutron-stimulated gamma rays analysis for in situ determination of elements(carbon, silicon, oxygen, iron, and potassium along with soil moisture) distributed in soil without the requirement of destructive soil sampling. The neutron-stimulated gamma analysis method paired with GPS can be used for acquiring these data over large agricultural fields. Details of the neutron-gamma analysis technique, methodology of field surveying, data processing algorithm, and mapping procedures will be presented in this chapter.

Technical Abstract: Productivity and profitability of modern agricultural practices require exact knowledge of critical soil elemental (primarily carbon) content over large areas (numerous hectares) of soil surface. Traditional chemical analysis is labor extensive and time consuming that require large number of samples to be collected for laboratory processing. The neutron-stimulated gamma analysis method paired with GPS can be used for acquiring these data over agricultural fields. This method is an in situ nondestructive analysis that requires no sample preparation that can performed in a scanning mode. One working day is required to survey an agricultural field of approximately 30 hectares. Based on field survey results of soil elements (carbon, silicon, oxygen, iron, potassium, and soil moisture), a field distribution map can be created for use in modern agricultural practices. Details of the neutron-gamma analysis technique, methodology of field surveying, data processing algorithm, and mapping procedures will be presented in this chapter.