New technology lets crops signal when they need water

Researchers funded by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) are developing a new sensing system that helps growers more easily determine when plants need water or nutrients, allowing for strategic irrigation and nutrient application. The team, including scientists from the University of Georgia, Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is combining tiny sensors, simple hardware, software and machine learning to monitor plant and soil conditions in real time.  

Instead of relying on weather patterns, guesswork or experience, the technology provides real-time information that shows exactly when and where irrigation or fertilization is needed, helping growers avoid overwatering and overapplication of nitrogen. Funding for this program comes from NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grants.