NitroScope - Scoping European N fluxes for sustainable N management and conservation practices
NItroScope Youtube Channel
NitroScope is a four-year Horizon Europe project designed to establish the most extensive and integrated nitrogen monitoring network implemented to date in Europe. With +100 sites across more than 10 pedo-climatic regions, the project combines advanced sensing, modelling, and farmer-oriented digital tools to quantify nitrate concentrations and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions in real time. With the participation of 25 organisations from 15 countries, NitroScope translates scientific data into practical, region-specific solutions, enhancing fertilizer efficiency, mitigating nitrogen losses, supporting healthier soils, safeguarding water quality, and strengthening climate-resilient agricultural systems. As part of the EU Soil Mission, the project directly contributes to the ambitions and the objectives of Soil Deal for Europe.
About
Nitrogen (N) is indispensable for plant growth, yet current agricultural systems exhibit low nitrogen use efficiency, with only 30–50% of applied fertilizer being assimilated by crops. The remaining fraction is lost to the environment, leaching into groundwater or volatilizing as nitrous oxide (N₂O), a highly potent and long-lived greenhouse gas. Such losses compromise soil functionality, degrade water quality, and contribute to climate forcing, highlighting the urgent need for smarter and more effective nitrogen management across Europe.
NitroScope unites scientists, land managers, industry, and policy makers to enhance the monitoring and management of nitrogen flows. Using advanced sensing technologies across +100 sites in at least 10 European pedo-climatic regions, the project will generate high-resolution, real-time datasets on nitrate dynamics and N₂O emissions. These data streams will be integrated into a centralized cloud-based platform designed to compute region-specific emission factors and provide decision-support tools aimed at optimizing nitrogen use efficiency.
Healthier soils start with understanding how nitrogen moves
A key objective of NitroScope is to translate scientific evidence into actionable practices. The project will evaluate targeted mitigation measures, such as variable-rate fertilization and improved residue management and the integration of two farm-management software add-ons enabling land managers to actively engage in monitoring and reducing nitrogen losses. The results will support more accurate nitrogen budgets and develop EU-level scenarios for resilient, climate-smart agricultural systems.
NitroScope contributes to the EU Soil Mission and aligns with the objectives of the Soil Deal for Europe, fostering pathways toward improved soil health, cleaner water and air, and a more sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural future.
Project Timeline
Project starting date: 1 October 2025
Project end date: 30 September 2029
Project duration: 48 months
Budget
Total budget 11 410 906,25 €
Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences budget 398 647, 03 €
Cordis number 101218902