Birte Reckleben

Dr. Birte Reckleben is a scientific researcher affiliated with the Faculty of Agricultural Economics at the University of Applied Sciences Kiel (FH Kiel). She works on the model and demonstration project NIRS in manure application, funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), which focuses on improving nutrient use efficiency in agriculture through real-time analysis of manure composition using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS).

• Project Partners: Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, DLR Rhineland-Palatinate, DLG eV, IPZ Bernburg
• Project Duration: 01.07.2021 to 30.06.2024
• Key Focus: Addressing variability in nutrient concentrations in organic fertilizers and optimizing field-specific nutrient dosing

The project aims to reduce mineral fertilizer dependency by enabling precise nutrient planning and documentation for both manure-supplying and receiving farms. NIRS technology addresses sampling and analysis delays, which often lead to inaccuracies in traditional lab methods. The research includes regional adaptations for sedimentation challenges in transport tanks, application system uniformity, and environmental risk mitigation.

Collaborative efforts span four regions (Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt), emphasizing technical demonstrations, plant production integration, and societal impact analysis of sensor deployment.