Radiometric Estimates of Nitrogen Status of Leaves and Canopies

Abstract

Estimation of the nitrogen status of plants provides key information for optimum management of fertilizer applications to crops as reviewed in Chapters 9 and 11 (this Vol.). Most of the techniques currently used are based on plant sampling, generally using the biochemical composition of plant tissues and mainly nitrogen concentration. These techniques are generally tedious, time-consuming, destructive, and thus cannot not be repeated many times for a more representative evaluation of the canopy nitrogen status in a field or amongst fields of a given area.