STTR Phase I: Precision Plant Irrigation Control Utilizing Leaf Thickness Sensor Technology

STTR 第一阶段：利用叶片厚度传感器技术进行精确植物灌溉控制

• 批准号: 0712605
• 负责人: Richard Stoner
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: AgriHouse Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-07-01 至 2008-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0712605&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; Precision; Plant; Irrigation

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I research project will develop an innovative method that enables reliable feedback for plant irrigation control by direct detection of impending water deficit stress (WDS) in plants. This technology indicates water deficit stress of living plants by measuring the thickness of leaves, which decreases dramatically at the onset of leaf dehydration. The proposed method overcomes the obstacle of traditional methods for determining the thickness of living plant leaves, measuring leaf thickness non-destructively, gently, reliably, conveniently, with high resolution, and in real-time. This novel real-time leaf sensor technology is non-destructive to the plants and can be used on a wide number of species. The proposed leaf sensor can easily be miniaturized and automated without hindering plant cycles. It combines concepts of engineering and plant physiology while employing recent technological advances in electronics and information technologies. Early detection of impending water deficit stress in plants may be used as an input parameter for precision irrigation control, a strategy which has the potential to preserve enormous amounts of precious freshwater while ensuring successful plant cultivation and crop yield optimization. Such a device may find commercial applications in agricultural sectors or the greenhouse industry. The research would develop this novel method into a sensor that is applicable reliably, conveniently, and permanently under field conditions. This research implements this novel real-time leaf sensor-technology into an automated irrigation system as a proof-of-concept demonstration, and evaluates its performance in terms of reliable plant cultivation and its potential for water conservation under realistic farming conditions.

这一小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段研究项目将开发一种创新方法，通过直接检测植物中即将到来的水分亏缺压力(WDS)，为植物灌溉控制提供可靠的反馈。这项技术通过测量叶片厚度来指示活植物的缺水胁迫，叶片厚度在叶片脱水开始时显著减少。该方法克服了传统活体植物叶片厚度测量方法的缺陷，实现了叶片厚度的无损、温和、可靠、方便、高分辨率和实时测量。这种新型的实时叶片传感器技术对植物是非破坏性的，可以在许多物种上使用。所提出的叶片传感器可以很容易地小型化和自动化，而不会阻碍植物周期。它结合了工程学和植物生理学的概念，同时利用了电子和信息技术的最新技术进步。对即将到来的植物水分亏缺胁迫的早期检测可以作为精确灌溉控制的输入参数，这一策略有可能在确保植物成功栽培和作物产量优化的同时保存大量宝贵的淡水。这种装置可能会在农业部门或温室产业中得到商业应用。这项研究将把这种新方法发展成一种在现场条件下可靠、方便、永久适用的传感器。本研究将这一新型实时叶片传感器技术应用到自动化灌溉系统中，作为概念验证演示，并从可靠的植物种植和现实农业条件下的节水潜力方面评估了其性能。