Usage of near infrared spectrometer as an analyzing tool for nutrients in leaf, fertilizer and soil in oil palm industry

Abstract

In the oil palm industry, a huge money is used for chemical items to examine samples, especially for leaf (foliar), fertilizer, and soil. However, with the advent of FOSS NIRS DS2500 technology, there is a huge reduction in chemical usage in laboratories. Results were attained in less than a minute while covering many parameters in a single scanning. This tool uses the technology of Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (NIRS) to scan the particles of the substance and thus, elements are detected within the NIRS wavelength region. FOSS NIRS DS2500 uses a broad wavelength range of 400 to 2500nm, covering the highest possible performance across any chemical elements/molecules. Furthermore, there are accurate analysis results for a wide range of parameters, such as oil content, moisture content, N, P, K, Mg, Ca, B, Zn, and Cu. The objective of this paper is to discuss the ‘hands-on’ experience with the usage of FOSS NIRS DS2500 as an analyzing tool for determining the nutrient values for the above-mentioned samples. FOSS NIRS DS2500 is a ‘secondary method’ as this tool needs to be calibrated periodically with a database gathered from a traditional laboratory (primer method/conventional method). Statistics is used to verify the accuracy and acceptance level of data, for example, standard error of prediction, standard error of cross-validation, and standard error lab. Unification usage of applied science of statistics, biochemistry of plant tissues, and appropriate sampling methods in the fields had resulted in a practice where huge use of chemicals is eliminated while the accuracy of data is retained.