Leaf sensors enable smarter farming
Register for free and continue reading
Join our growing army of changemakers and get unlimited access to our premium content
The coin-sized sensors monitor leaf colour to assess overall plant health
Spotted: Global warming and changing weather patterns are making it harder for farmers across the globe to manage resources and maintain steady yields. Monitoring systems can help growers better understand and manage their crops, but these are often not accurate enough or too laborious to maintain. Now, researchers from Tohoku University in Japan believe they have a better option.
The scientists – including Ko-ichiro Miyamoto, Kaori Kohzuma, and other Tohoku colleagues – have developed low-cost smart leaf sensors that can accurately monitor a plant’s health and response to environmental stressors. With this information, it would be easier for growers to allocate resources, optimise plant health at scale, and boost crop yield – even in less favourable conditions.
To start, the spectroscopic sensors, which are connected to an external control unit, are attached to the underside of leaves. Periodically, two LEDs within the sensor light up, and a photodiode then analyses the spectrum of light that’s reflected back. A second reading is then taken without the LEDs, and subtracting this measurement from the first enables the researchers to understand the spectrum of LED light being absorbed by the leaf. This gives an accurate indication of the leaf’s colour, which is a reflection of overall plant health.
Unlike traditional plant monitoring systems, which often provide either broad, macro-level insights or require individual plant inspection, the new technology offers granular monitoring of each plant while centralising data collection and analysis over the cloud. Equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity and long-lasting batteries, these waterproof sensors can collect extensive data over extended periods, enabling farmers to more easily optimise crop management practices.
According to the researchers, the new sensors do not require extensive technical knowledge and cost only “a few tens of dollars” to produce, making them accessible for a range of applications, including smart farming and forest management. Miyamoto and Kohzuma shared with Springwise that they’re working to expand the sensor function so that it includes other parameters of the plant leaf beyond optical information.
Written By: Joshua Solomon and Matilda Cox