Measuring the quantity of carbon in the soil by sampling is a costly and laborious technique. Bernard Tychon and his team have replaced it by a remote sensing system.

At a time of global warming, any pathways likely to capture green house gases are being explored. That is the case for carbon, which we know is captured by trees in their growing period. On the other hand the role which the agricultural sector can play in carbon sequestration is still poorly understood. It is in this domain that Bernard Tychon is carrying out his research at the Department of Environmental Management, in the University of Liège’s Faculty of Sciences (Arlon campus). There he manages as research group of a small dozen in agrometeorology. The themes studied in this group concern the physical relationship between farming and the environment. ‘Our research aims at three objectives through the use of soil-plant-atmosphere models,’ explains Bernard Tychon. ‘Quantifying the impact of agricultural practices on the quality and volume of surface and underground water; integrating environmental parameters, in particular meteorological conditions, in assisting decision making across every stage leading to agricultural production; evaluating and usinge in the best way possible agrometereological potential in output terms.’ This group’s research has in particular led to the putting in place crop yield prediction tools in a number of countries (Belgium, Morocco, Ethiopia, Senegal, China, etc.), to the design of an operational warning system against wheat diseases (Belgium, Grand Duchy of Luxemburg) and to the setting up of an integrated management system of water for agricultural use in Burkina Faso.