Handheld sensor helps farmers monitor crops with precision

The device, developed by Jian Jin, an assistant professor in Purdue University's Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, scans a plant for features including moisture, nutrient and chlorophyll levels. It can also determine the effects of chemical spraying and identify symptoms of disease.

Jin believes the device will help farmers detect changes in plant health in the field hours to days before they are visible to the naked eye. It will also provide information that will give farmers the option to use fewer resources, such as fertiliser and water.

"My vision is this sensor will allow household farmers walking through a field to use a handheld device and a smartphone to get the same information available from very expensive phenotyping systems constructed by big companies and big universities in recent years," Jin said. "We have 600 million farmers worldwide, and very few of them are benefiting from high-end plant sensor technologies. Now, with this handheld device, most farmers can benefit."