Variable fertilizer application in wheat using remote sensors in southern Sonora, Mexico
1 Soils and plant nutrition, INIFAP, Norman E. Borlaug Experimental Station, km 12 Norman E. Borlaug between 800 and 900 Yaqui Valley, Cd. Obregon, Sonora, Mexico.
2 Wheat Biotechnology, INIFAP, Norman E. Borlaug Experimental Station, km 12 Norman E. Borlaug between 800 and 900 Yaqui Valley, Cd. Obregon, Sonora, Mexico.
Research Article
Open Access Research Journal of Science and Technology, 2025, 15(02), 148-155.
Article DOI: 10.53022/oarjst.2025.15.2.0145
Publication history:
Received on 06 November 2025; revised on 12 December 2025; accepted on 15 December 2025
Abstract:
The southern region of the state of Sonora is Mexico’s main wheat-producing area, where fertilization represents one of the highest production costs. The use of nitrogen fertilizers, although it increases grain yield and quality, has significant environmental impacts, and its cost has risen notably in recent years. This study evaluated variable nitrogen application in wheat using remote sensors during the 2022–2023 fall–winter growing season, with the aim of optimizing input efficiency and improving crop productivity and quality. The research was conducted at CENEB-INIFAP in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora. Two experimental strips with differences in biomass were identified through satellite imagery, and different nitrogen doses were applied according to the detected biomass index. The results showed that the high-biomass and low-biomass zones responded differently to fertilization, with unfertilized yields of 5.169 and 1.749 t ha⁻¹, respectively. The economically optimal nitrogen rate was 184 kg ha⁻¹ for the high-biomass zone and 322 kg ha⁻¹ for the low-biomass zone. Grain protein content and the incidence of white belly improved with fertilization. This study demonstrates that variable fertilizer application based on remote sensors is an effective tool for adjusting fertilization according to crop needs, optimizing costs, increasing yield, and improving quality, while also contributing to more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
Keywords:
Precision agriculture; Nitrogen; Variable rate application; Yield; Protein
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Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0