Nitrogen is a critical nutrient for plants, as it is a key component of amino acids – the building blocks of proteins – and is essential for chlorophyll production, which drives photosynthesis. Proper nitrogen management directly influences plant growth, development, and yield. However, balancing nitrogen inputs is complex due to its dynamic availability in the soil and the varying uptake rates of plants throughout their growth cycles.

Inadequate nitrogen can limit growth and yield, while excessive nitrogen can lead to nutrient leaching, environmental harm, and wasted resources. Traditional methods like visual assessments, satellite imagery, or soil testing often lack real-time, plant-specific data. While soil testing is precise, it’s time-consuming and costly, so it’s typically done at specific points, which may not reflect nitrogen availability across large areas or critical growth stages. Visual assessments are imprecise, and satellite imagery is highly dependent on cloud-free conditions and unsuitable for crops with low soil coverage such as vineyards.

This is where Dualex’ Nitrogen Balance Index (NBI) becomes invaluable. The NBI, derived from the combined measurements of chlorophyll and flavonols, provides a up-to date, non-destructive assessment of nitrogen levels within the plant. By integrating both chlorophyll and flavonol data, the NBI offers a more reliable and precise indicator of a plant’s nitrogen status than either chlorophyll or flavonol measurements alone.