As part of the preparation of NitroScope’s Belgian pilot activities, a dedicated laboratory training session took place at the Walloon Agricultural Research Centre (CRA-W) in Gembloux, Belgium, reinforcing collaboration and ensuring methodological consistency across the project.
On 12 February 2026, PhD students Kudrat Ullah Jim and Salvatore Meles from Ghent University visited the CRA-W facilities to participate in hands-on training focused on nitrogen mineralization analysis. The visit marked an important step ahead of the experimental activities that will begin in March 2026 at the Belgian NitroScope pilot site.
During the session, the CRA-W nitrogen laboratory team provided practical, hands-on guidance covering key aspects of the experimental protocol, including:
- Soil sample preparation
- Incubation setup under controlled temperature conditions
- Analysis of mineral nitrogen
This training ensured that all procedures are clearly understood and consistently applied, supporting the implementation of the nitrogen mineralization experiment under harmonised conditions.
Ensuring Consistency Across NitroScope Pilot Sites
A central objective of NitroScope is to generate reliable and comparable data across different regions in Europe. Achieving this requires strict alignment in how measurements are conducted.
The training at CRA-W plays a critical role in maintaining this consistency, ensuring that the nitrogen mineralization protocol is applied using the same standards across pilot sites. This alignment supports the quality of data used for modelling nitrogen dynamics and improving the understanding of nitrogen flows.
The visit also highlights the strong collaboration between Ghent University and CRA-W, combining expertise in laboratory analysis, field experimentation, and modelling.
By working closely together, partners ensure that scientific methods are aligned and that experimental results can be effectively integrated into NitroScope’s broader framework.