Integrating biofertilizers and precision agriculture

Abstract

Integrating biofertilizers and precision agriculture This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the integration of biofertilisers and precision agriculture, with the aim of creating a virtuous circle of agricultural growth and sustainability, by Cristina Cruz and Teresa Dias of the Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa. “What do plants feed on?” may seem a simple question, but our answer has changed over time, and there is still no consensus. From antiquity until the mid-18th century, we thought plants fed on organic compounds (i.e., the humus theory). With the advances in chemistry and the discovery of chemical elements, we considered that plants feed on water and mineral salts. The industrialisation of the Haber-Bosch process allowed the production of large quantities of affordable fertilizers, allowing the green revolution of the mid-20th century and intensive agriculture.