AI analyzes leaf temperature to identify water needs

Added on 21 August 2024

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AI analyzes leaf temperature to identify water needs

Image by user6702303 on Freepik

A low-cost autonomous plant water stress sensing device was developed by Embrapa Tropical Agroindustry. The technology is based on leaf energy balance and can contribute to making more accurate and assertive decisions in irrigation management. A partnership between Embrapa, the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), the Atlântico Institute’s Technological Innovation and Scientific Exploration Laboratory (LITEC) and the Ceará-based company 3V3 Tecnologia will develop a commercial version in the coming years.

The Embrapa researcher Cláudio Carvalho says that the technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to control the information collected through sensing. While the effects of water deficiency on the energy balance of leaf tissues are known, Carvalho states that the use of AI to identify patterns and control irrigation is unprecedented.