Optifer: An application to optimize fertiliser costs in fertigation

•Calculates the fertilizer inputs focusing on the economically optimal solution.•The analysis is made easier for farmers to make decisions about fertilizers.•No application exists on the market to choose fertilizers based on cost. To obtain a greater amount of food by increasing the land yield, it i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agricultural water management 2015-03, Vol.151, p.19-29
Main Authors: Pagán, F.J., Ferrández-Villena, M., Fernández-Pacheco, D.G., Rosillo, J.J., Molina-Martínez, J.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Computer programs
Cost saving
Farming
Irrigation tanks
Mathematical analysis
Nutrient solution
Nutrients
Software
Software in agriculture
Tanks
Water tanks
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Summary:•Calculates the fertilizer inputs focusing on the economically optimal solution.•The analysis is made easier for farmers to make decisions about fertilizers.•No application exists on the market to choose fertilizers based on cost. To obtain a greater amount of food by increasing the land yield, it is a common farming practice to apply fertilisers, the selection and cost of which are subject to intensive research. This study presents a new software application named “Optifer”, which permits the calculation of the least expensive combination of fertilisers to obtain the desired nutrient solution for fertigation, efficient fertiliser management and time and money savings. The software includes a fertiliser database, which allows the parameters to be verified and modified. The use of the application is notably simple. After a few basic steps, such as inputting the composition of the irrigation water to be used, choosing the fertilisers available to the farmer and entering the nutrient solution sought, the software calculates the quantity of each fertiliser that must be added to the fertiliser tanks, considering balance percentages, irrigation water flow rates, spray rates and tank capacities. Additionally, the user has the option of saving a historical record of the data used and the results of the processes.
ISSN:0378-3774
1873-2283
DOI:10.1016/j.agwat.2014.11.007