New sensor remotely tracks plant health in real time

How do you tell if a plant is doing well or poorly? Is there a way to increase agricultural productivity in our world of climate change and overpopulation? The answers to these pressing questions may be found in a tiny yet powerful plant sensor created by researchers from Japan’s Tohoku University.

This is more than just a tale of innovation; it’s the story of how we’re transforming the way we monitor our planet’s green life.

Old methods, new problems

The adverse impacts of climate change are not news. Harsh weather conditions such as heatwaves, intense rainfall, and prolonged droughts stress our plants and crops, reducing yields and endangering the long-term health of our farms, forests, and biodiversity.

Tracking plant responses has always been challenging, and while drones and aircraft offer a bird’s eye view of our greenery, they capture only surface-level information.

Moreover, these high-tech solutions need constant adjustments to track plants accurately over time. On the other hand, smaller, ground-level sensors that can monitor individual plants require manual checks, which become impractical for larger fields or forests.

“The traditional methods may work well for some purposes, but they are difficult to operate and quite expensive. In order to continuously monitor small changes, we needed a new solution,” said Kaori Kohzuma, a member of the research team at Tohoku University.

Step towards smarter agriculture

Addressing these challenges, the researchers developed a unique sensor that can be attached directly to the underside of plant leaves. Framed in its small body is a powerful spectroscopic sensor and light source that can measure leaf color over time without blocking sunlight.

Easy to use and durable, the sensor is powered by a battery and equipped with Wi-Fi for data transfer. Thanks to its waterproof design, it can work outdoors for over a month, ensuring extended data collection.

“Smart agriculture is a huge time-saver,” said Ko-ichiro Miyamoto, a researcher at Tohoku University.

“Farmers don’t have time to manually check every single plant. This sensor is able to provide fine-tuned readings for what’s going on in real time. Then, they can react accordingly to areas where plants are experiencing high levels of stress.”

Putting the plant sensor to test

The sensor was put through stringent tests where it had to take on a commercial spectrometer across about 90 leaves from 30 different plant species.

In the face-off, the sensor distinguished colors accurately across seven out of its eight detectable wavelengths. It also showed similar readings to commercial chlorophyll meters at 620 nm.

An outdoor trial was conducted to test the sensor under real-world, changing conditions. Attached to birch leaves, it tracked changes in leaf color during autumn, leaf fall, and aging over a span of two weeks.

The sensor recorded a decrease in chlorophyll – often an indication of plant stress – and documented how the plant’s response shifted with sunlight intensity.

Future of smart agriculture

“This affordable sensor is a promising tool for accurately monitoring plant health and stress through leaf color and light reflection data,” said Kohzuma.

“Its low cost makes it possible to place multiple sensors across various locations, creating a network for simultaneous monitoring in many spots.”

Indeed, the future of agriculture looks bright, and this smart sensor technology could well be the forerunner in a new wave of precision farming.

Farmers, forest rangers, and researchers alike could benefit from the granular data provided by these sensors, and use it to ensure the health and productivity of our plant life in a challenging environment.

Significance of plant sensors

Smart farming is more than a buzzword; it’s an essential part of our initiatives to sustain life on Earth.

“The plant sensor can be a powerful tool in the field of agriculture and ecological study by realizing simultaneous, multi-point and remote monitoring at a low cost,” noted the researchers.

As we continue to battle against climate change and overpopulation, innovative solutions like the plant sensor offer a beacon of hope for our green world. It’s time to embrace technology that will help plants thrive in a changing world.

The study is published in the journal Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–