Determination of Soil Nitrogen Content Using UV-VIS-NIR Spectroscopy and Chemometric Modeling

This webinar by McKenzie Woodman, Geologist and Remote Sensing Specialist, explored how advanced spectral analysis and mathematical modeling can revolutionize soil research. The webinar begins by addressing the challenges of traditional soil testing – slow, costly, and often limited in geographic accuracy, before introducing UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy as a fast, non-destructive alternative for measuring soil properties.

The webinar explained how reflectance data from 350–2500nm wavelengths can reveal key soil attributes such as organic matter, mineral composition, moisture, and nitrogen levels. Using chemometric tools like Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), the webinar demonstrated how spectral data can be modeled and validated to accurately quantify nitrogen content in topsoil samples. Supported by a real-world test study conducted with Spectral Evolution’s NaturaSpec™ Ultra spectroradiometer, the session highlighted how these techniques enable precise, in-situ soil analysis – offering new potential for sustainable agriculture, soil mapping, and environmental monitoring.