At the end of March, precision agriculture company Paul-Tech installed eight soil stations in Finland. This marks a significant step forward in the development of its technology. The new test field is part of the EIT Food Test Farms programme. The initiative gives start-ups and agri-tech companies the opportunity to trial their solutions under real farming conditions. Paul-Tech’s Finnish partner in the project is long-time collaborator and agrologist Olli-Pekka Ruponen.
The aim of the pilot is to further refine Paul-Tech’s model, which evaluates nitrogen release and plant uptake processes in real time. “We’ve developed a formula that allows us to assess and even forecast nitrogen movement in the soil,” explained Paul-Tech CEO Mikk Plakk.
“With this trial, we want to make the formula even more accurate. In addition, we aim to demonstrate how data-driven decisions can lead to more efficient farm management.”
Now begins the most exciting part of the project – data collection. Real-time nitrogen monitoring provides valuable insights that support precision farming decisions.
Olli-Pekka Ruponen, on whose rented field the stations were installed, sees great potential in Paul-Tech’s technology. He believes that using the stations can significantly improve fertiliser efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
“I’m excited to see what results this project will bring from my winter wheat field!” Ruponen said.
“We’re conducting the trial in a technically completely new and unconventional way. Fertilisation will be carried out using liquid complex fertilisers with a tractor sprayer. This allows for mechanical and fast surface application of fertiliser to the test plots. That kind of precision isn’t possible with granular fertilisers and a centrifugal spreader. As a result, the nozzle-specific shut-off valves on the sprayer play a key role in fertilising the trial field. We developed this innovative setup together with Mikk.”
About Paul-Tech
Paul-Tech is a science-led agricultural platform that helps farmers make better-informed decisions through real-time soil data. The company’s soil sensors are built on several generations of scientific research. They are capable of measuring fertiliser efficiency and monitoring key soil processes.
Founded in 2019, Paul-Tech currently operates in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden. In 2024, the company expanded into the UK and Lithuania.