Physicists have developed a portable optical sensing device from IIT Ropar and MIT (USA). The device would monitor nitrogen levels in plants, which could aid in the efficient use of chemical fertilizers. It will enable small-scale farmers to make an informed decision regarding the most effective and long-term fertilizer application.
Key Highlights
- Physicists have developed a portable optical sensing device from IIT Ropar and MIT (USA)
- The device would monitor nitrogen levels in plants, which could aid in the efficient use of chemical fertilizers.
- It will enable small-scale farmers to make an informed decision regarding the most effective and long-term fertilizer application.
- Researchers said that overuse ofchemical fertilizers had exposed individuals to dangerous substances through our ecology, which had a negative impact on their health.
PATIALA: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IT), Ropar, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States have devised a portable optical sensing device that can monitor nitrogen levels in plants, potentially reducing the usage of chemical fertilizers. They said that overuse of chemical fertilizers had exposed individuals to dangerous substances through our ecology, which had a negative impact on their health.
IIT Ropar and MIT (USA) worked on a project called “accurate optical sensing for effective fertilizer use and higher production in small farms” to address this. A cost-benefit analysis for nitrogen-uptake sensors for crops and crop-management practices in Punjab will be created as part of this project, allowing small-holder farmers to decide on the most effective and sustainable fertilizer application.
Rajeev Ram of MIT’s electrical engineering and computer science department and Rajesh Kumar of IT-biomedical Ropar’s engineering department will collaborate on portable optical sensors that offer fast, actionable data to help small-scale farmers better manage their crops. Their research will look into the possibility of using spectroscopic fingerprinting of nitrogen uptake to advise fertilizer management better.
