The NitroScope project participated in the 19th Congress of the European Society for Agronomy, held in Tartu, Estonia, from 24 to 28 August 2026.
The congress brought together researchers, practitioners and policymakers from across Europe to exchange knowledge on modern crop production, sustainable agriculture, digital technologies and resilient farming systems.
NitroScope was represented at the congress by Roosi Soosar from NGO Soil Innovation Cluster and Eric Bönecke from the Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), both partners of the project.
NitroScope was also present with a dedicated booth and supported ESA 2026 as a Bronze Sponsor, strengthening the project’s presence within the European agronomy community.
Connecting NitroScope with the European agronomy community
ESA 2026 provided an important opportunity to exchange knowledge around several topics that are directly connected to NitroScope’s objectives.
During the congress, discussions addressed more efficient nitrogen management, site-specific fertilisation, nitrogen losses, digital decision support and the integration of field measurements with sensing technologies and models.
These topics closely reflect NitroScope’s work to improve the monitoring and understanding of nitrogen fluxes across different European soil and climate conditions.
Through its European network of monitoring sites, sensing technologies, remote sensing and modelling approaches, NitroScope aims to provide better evidence for reducing nitrogen losses and improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency.
Representing NGO Soil Innovation Cluster, Roosi Soosar shared insights from the congress on the latest research shaping the future of nitrogen management in Europe.
One of the key messages highlighted was the growing importance of combining soil, sensor and climate data with modelling approaches to develop more location-specific nitrogen recommendations.
The discussions also reinforced the need to move beyond uniform fertilisation approaches. Nitrogen behaviour can vary considerably within and between agricultural fields, making high-quality monitoring and spatial information increasingly important for more precise nutrient management.
These challenges are central to NitroScope, which brings together field measurements, advanced sensing, remote sensing and modelling to better quantify nitrogen fluxes and support more informed management strategies.
Eric Bönecke from IGZ, partner and Work Package leader within NitroScope, also participated in ESA 2026.
As part of the congress programme, he presented work on site-specific nitrogen fertilisation recommendations using yield predictions, high-resolution soil maps and weather forecasts.
The presentation formed part of the congress session dedicated to digital and modelling tools for agronomy.
This approach is closely related to the work carried out within NitroScope, where field data, sensing technologies and modelling are being integrated to support more precise nitrogen management and better-informed agricultural decisions.
IGZ leads Work Package 5: Optimization and implementation of N-models for mitigation strategies, which is developing the modelling backbone of NitroScope and supporting the translation of complex data into practical decision support.
A strong presence for NitroScope at ESA 2026
Beyond the participation of project partners, NitroScope maintained a dedicated presence at the congress through its booth, where participants could learn more about the project’s objectives, activities and approach to nitrogen monitoring.
As a Bronze Sponsor of ESA 2026, NitroScope also supported an important European meeting point for researchers and professionals working on the future of agronomy.
Participation in events such as ESA 2026 helps strengthen connections between NitroScope and the wider scientific and agricultural community. It creates opportunities to exchange results, identify common challenges and build collaborations around sustainable nitrogen management.
The congress also provided an important platform for connecting scientific research with practical agricultural needs and future policy priorities.
Towards more sustainable nitrogen management
The participation of Roosi Soosar and Eric Bönecke at ESA 2026 reflects NitroScope’s broader commitment to bringing together research, technology and practical knowledge.
By connecting field observations with advanced sensing, modelling and decision support, NitroScope is working towards more accurate nitrogen management strategies adapted to different European agricultural conditions.
These exchanges with the European agronomy community will continue to support the project’s goal of improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency, reducing environmental nitrogen losses and contributing to more sustainable agricultural systems across Europe.
