Scientists have developed a new technology based on the distributed sensing system. They have found a fiber optic solution for 3D visualization in real-time that demonstrates crop root growth. Moreover, the newly developed distributed sensing system serves as radar and can be applied to measure temperature, acoustic, strain, etc.
In fact, in the 21st-century farmers agree that soil fiber optic sensors play a crucial role in agricultural development. Thanks to the data received from fiber optic sensors and other advanced technologies, they can easily develop more precise uses of water and other inputs.
Modern fiber optic technology in agriculture
According to recent studies, the plant root directly influences crop resilience and productivity rates. For instance, deep root architecture suits better for drought resistance. Thanks to it, it is possible to keep high crop yields even in the absence of rainfalls. In contrast, shallow root structures are better for paddy fields where there is a deficiency in oxygen. To speed the crops’ adaptation to such anticipated environmental conditions, scientists had an aim to create a system that would quickly provide data in real-time on root architecture. That is why they applied modern fiber optic technology.
The whole procedure of plant roots’ visualization seems to be difficult because it requires digging. Moreover, there is still a lack of convenient and high-resolution underground imaging systems that could help in studying plant root structures.
Fiber optic sensors for root growth monitoring
With the help of fiber optic technology, scientists prototype the newest imaging device which monitors root growth underground by using distributed fiber optic sensors. During the experiments, the fiber optic sensor was attached to a soft film and transformed into a spiral. Then a distributed sensing system was put into a pot filled with soil. As a result of the tests, scientists demonstrated that the distributed sensing system is able to detect small movements within solids even when a fiber optic sensor is placed into a film structure. This fiber optic solution provides a new approach to imaging movements in the field.
Each year researchers aim to turn farming technologies into a more automated sphere. The fiber optic sensors can help in it by providing more feedback on the soil conditions, temperature, etc. This modern device based on a distributed sensing system is an important addition to the next-generation agriculture instruments. It can be applied for data-driven automation.
According to scientists, this novel method with the usage of fiber optic sensors can also have other different applications. It can suit any small-scale perturbation occurring in solids, for instance, for monitoring worms’ movements through sediments or the propagation of mushrooms in loam.
Optromix is a fast-growing vendor of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) product line such as fiber Bragg grating sensors, for example, FBG strain sensors, FBG interrogators and multiplexers, Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) systems, Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) systems. The company creates and supplies a broad variety of fiber optic solutions for monitoring worldwide. If you are interested in structural health monitoring systems and want to learn more, please contact us at info@optromix.com