Maximize Growth of Plants
Maximize Growth of Plants by optimizing Climate Conditions through Infrared Temperature Sensors
The internet of agricultural things (IoAT) has revolutionary potential called The Third Green Revolution. A smart web of sensors like non contact temperature sensors, drones, and other connected devices allows for an unprecedented level of control and automated decision-making. Exergen IRt/c's play a major role in growing crops at the lowest cost, with speed and accuracy, from cotton to tobacco to spy bean growing the IRt/c is the choice in the industry. In 2022 we started a project Plant Lighting which has been finalized this quarter. And the results are very positive. They are able to measure the temperature of the plant with our agri sensor solutions which provides a very good insight in the energy balance of the Phalaenopsis.
The conclusion of Plant Lighting is as follows:
"With the knowledge developed, a "guardrail" can be established for stomatal opening. This allows light, CO2 and heat to be utilized more efficiently. A photosynthesis model can be used to visualize 'live' whether stomata are sufficiently open. On the other hand, heat is lost unnecessarily when stomata are open further than necessary, because more (latent) heat needs to be extracted (dehumidification) or an unnecessary amount of spray is applied"
The goal to make precision farming a reality has become one step closer to towards a more sustainable food production outcome using precise and resource-efficient approaches. Objective is that smart farming as a total will finally realize the goal of feeding a fast-growing population (9.6 billion by 2050) in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Monitoring stomatal opening: sufficient opening under LED exposure?
Q1, 2022
Govert Trouwborst (Plant Lighting)
Stomata play a crucial role in the assimilation, moisture and energy balance of a crop. Too limited an opening inhibits growth. However, if stomata are open further than necessary, the extra evaporation leads to unnecessary energy consumption. Stomata thus act between the guardrails of necessity and excess. Live insight into the opening position of stomata is therefore highly desirable.
The objective of this study was twofold:
- Development and validation of the stomata sensor for 'live measurement' of stomatal behavior in the greenhouse. This work package was carried out on example crop anthurium.
- Knowledge development on stomata behavior under LED lighting in the example crop sweet bell pepper. What is the minimum energy supply so that stomata opening does not limit photosynthesis? This question applies in a broad sense when growing under full-LED illumination.
For Anthurium, it has been found that the stomata sensor fed by a net radiation meter gives estimates of stomatal conductivity that are in the same order of magnitude as those measured by accurate photosynthesis measuring devices. A major concern remains that the reliability of the stomata sensor depends on the reliability and representativeness of the measurement position of all the sensors used. This requires attention from the grower.
Dissipation of energy
For sweet bell pepper, a test setup showed that it was not the supply of energy that was leading in stomatal conductivity, but the removal of energy: on the one hand through convection, on the other hand through evaporation. In practice, therefore, in the situation of LED lighting and stomata restriction for photosynthesis, the radiation (i.e. dissipation of energy) will first have to be minimized and the convective transfer of energy reduced, so that evaporation becomes the primary dissipation of energy. A higher percentage of blue light also stimulated stomatal opening, and offers a solution if sufficient evaporation cannot be achieved by limiting the dissipation of energy.
With the knowledge developed, a "guardrail" can be established for stomatal opening. This allows light, CO2 and heat to be utilized more efficiently. A photosynthesis model can be used to visualize 'live' whether stomata are sufficiently open. On the other hand, heat is lost unnecessarily when stomata are open further than necessary, because more (latent) heat needs to be extracted (dehumidification) or an unnecessary amount of spray is applied.
Press release: Exergen expands its AutoSmart IRt/c line with the Agri version focussed on smartly enhancing accurate results in horticultural market
Exergen Global today announced the AGRI edition as its latest addition to its extensive AutoSmart IRt/c family line which already consisted of 11 AutoSmart IRt/c sensors. The AutoSmart Transmitter is the first transmitter in the world capable of fully calibrating Exergen IRt/c sensors to provide unprecedented accuracy of 0,1°C or 0.2°F by custom calibration over a very specific range providing two unique advantages:
- an accuracy that is 10 times better than standards on infrared sensors with the same output,
- a repeatability error of ± 0,01 °C.
Over the years more and more sensors are employed in greenhouses to measure a large variety of parameters, allowing professionals to closely monitor crop or flower condition thereby increasing yield and quality. Temperature is a key parameter as it drives plant development. Greenhouse climates are controlled by air temperature. Plant or leaf temperature is of added value as it is a direct measurement of the developmental rate of the plant itself instead of the indirect measure of air temperature. Due to radiation and/or transpiration plant temperature can significantly deviate from the air temperature. The combination of air and leaf temperature improves insight in the plant water status: i.e., transpiration and thus the amount of water plants require. Plant temperature is also used to prevent heat stress.
Maximizing growth of bell pepper plants by optimizing climate conditions through infrared temperature solutions
The internet of agricultural things (IoAT) has revolutionary potential called The Third Green Revolution. A smart web of sensors, cameras, robots, drones and other connected devices allows for an unprecedented level of control and automated decision-making. The goal is more than ambitious: to make precision farming a reality and to take a vital step towards a more sustainable food production outcome using precise and resource-efficient approaches. Objective is that smart farming will finally realize the goal of feeding a fast-growing population (9.6 billion by 2050) in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Plant Lighting, based in Bunnik the Netherlands, provides innovations in protected crop cultivation by translating scientific knowledge into practical uses. It provides research and consultancy on crop yield optimization, photosynthesis, plant responses to light, light sources and phenotyping methods. They started a study on measuring the optimizing effect of the right light spectrum and daylength of bell pepper plants. The test was conducted in a field in Plant Lighting’s test lab of 7 by 3.5 meters for over four months. The preliminary results have been very promising as infrared temperature sensing allows for optimized plant health monitoring (i.a. stomatal behaviour), showcasing an increased yield. The final results are expected to be released by Q4 of 2021.
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