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Article
2025
Deviation from the regression of yield on nitrogen fertiliser rate as a tool for detecting fraud in organic banana production
Deviation from the regression of yield on nitrogen fertiliser rate as a tool for detecting fraud in organic banana production
Abstract (English)
Background and aims: Bananas are demanding in nitrogen (N) input; therefore, there is a temptation for organic farmers for using synthetic N fertilisers, which are not allowed under organic standards. The aim of our study was to develop a tool that identifies high banana yields obtained with suspiciously low organic N input.
Methods: We systematically reviewed literature from experimental studies on N fertilisation in bananas from all over the world. We also developed a simplified N balance model for organic bananas. Furthermore, N fertilisation and banana yield data from organic and conventional farmers in different countries were collected. From these, a subset of trustworthy organic farms was identified, as a reference concerning plausible ratios of yield versus fertilisation. A model was developed to estimate the deviation from the regression of trustworthy farms and thus identify suspicious cases.
Results: Neither literature nor the N balance led to a meaningful benchmark for differentiating plausible from non‐plausible yields. The regression of yield on N fertiliser rate from the trustworthy organic farmers, however, turned out to be a helpful reference, and the deviation from this regression helps to achieve our aim. Depending on the alert limit, that is, the probability of obtaining false positive results, 4, 6, or 9 out of 157 data‐pairs from organic farmers turned out to be suspicious.
Conclusion: Measuring deviation from the regression of the trustworthy farms is a useful tool for identifying organic banana farmers suspected to be using synthetic N fertilisers but is not in itself a proof of fraud. The model will improve as more data becomes available.
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Journal of plant nutrition and soil science, 188 (2025), 4, 604-615.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.12009.
ISSN: 1522-2624
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Benzing, A., Piepho, H.-P., Orr, R., & Ullauri, J.-C. (2025). Deviation From the Regression of Yield on Nitrogen Fertiliser Rate as a Tool for Detecting Fraud in Organic Banana Production. Journal of plant nutrition and soil science, 188(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.12009
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English
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630 Agriculture
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Sustainable Development Goals
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@article{Benzing2025,
doi = {10.1002/jpln.12009},
author = {Benzing, Albrecht and Piepho, Hans‐Peter and Orr, Ryan et al.},
title = {Deviation From the Regression of Yield on Nitrogen Fertiliser Rate as a Tool for Detecting Fraud in Organic Banana Production},
journal = {Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science},
year = {2025},
volume = {188},
number = {4},
pages = {604--615},
}