The variables influencing corrosion of three metals (galvanised steel, stainless steel, brass) usable for a manure nutrient probe were examined, identifying the best material for field applications. The nutrients in 18 liquid manures were then estimated through the voltage drop between the terminals of a prototype probe. Response Surface Modelling gave the regression functions relating each investigated response only to the statistically-significant factors. After 168h in the manure, it was determined that: stainless steel was the most suitable material for very close electrodes (mass: -1.8% at 15mm), brass can be used with any inter-electrode distance (mass: -13.0% maximum at 35mm). The prototype probe gave reliable estimates (R(2)⩾0.744) of Ntot, Namm, Ptot, Ktot when dry matter and temperature were also accounted for in the regression analysis. Not considering dry matter but just electronically-detectable quantities (temperature, voltage drop), the estimates were only reliable (R(2)⩾0.656) above 20°C.
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