Soil properties and crop characteristics were measured in a two-year study at Indian Head, Saskatchewan. A one-acre sampling grid (308 sampling points) was established in eight plots representing phases of a canola-wheat-pulse-wheat rotation. Spatial and statistical variability of soil nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were related to crop yield, hyperspectral reflectance (460, 510, 560, 610, 660, 710, 760, 810 nm) and radiation transmitted through the leaf (650 and 940 nm). Measurements of soil and tissue N, hyperspectral reflectance and radiation transmitted through the leaf will be evaluated with respect to the potential for real time sensors and variable rate application of N in crop. This information will be used to determine if soil and plant tissue N, hyperspectral reflectance and radiation transmitted through the leaf can be used to determine variable rate N management zones.