Biosensors can help make plants stronger: these sensors signal early on whether the crop is experiencing stress, growth is stagnating, or a disease or fungus is threatening to strike. The deployment of these sensors is currently in its infancy, but the potential is great. When biosensors detect a threat, optimizing growth factors and the growth environment is essential.
The importance of plant resilience is gaining ground, partly because of the increasing scarcity of resources and the need to grow more sustainable crops. Biosensors can play an important role in strengthening plant resilience and health, according to Linda Nooren, a researcher at Delphy. "This is because these sensors measure directly at the plant whether something is wrong," she explains. "Until now, measurements were only carried out in the greenhouse; measuring at the plant level is the next step. With biosensors, you can detect stress or growth disturbances in the plant, reducing the risk of diseases and fungi striking. If you have this information early on, you can intervene quickly and make adjustments. Think of it as warning signals, which may make correcting with chemicals unnecessary."
Multiple variants
According to Nooren, there are several types of biosensors, each with its own operating principle. These include Vivent Biosignals' biosensors, which detect electrical signals in a plant. The sensors measure plants' response to nutrients—e.g., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and calcium—and their water requirements. This is done by analyzing the communication between cells using electrophysiology. This technique is also used in healthcare, for example, when performing a cardiac ultrasound.
"In addition, you have biosensors from Plense Technologies. These capture the echoes reflected by the elements present in the plant. That too provides valuable information," the researcher explains. "Furthermore, there are biosensors from 2Grow. These generate information about sap flow and stem diameter. If, for example, there is a calcium deficiency—which makes a crop more susceptible to diseases and pests—you can see that reflected in the sap flow. You can also detect Fusarium in the roots that way. So, in fact, you can 'talk' to the plant via biosensors."
Long way to go
The challenge, according to Nooren, is to interpret the collected data in the right way. "Sometimes it will be very clear what is going on, but often it is not immediately clear. The algorithms linked to biosensors need to be trained to recognize problems so that they can indicate: the measured data shows that there is water stress, a disease or pest, and so on. Training these algorithms takes a long time. Partly because of this, the deployment of biosensors is still in its infancy and is still a distant memory for many growers. But looking towards the future, a huge amount is possible in this area."
Cock van Bommel, Business Development Manager at ErfGoed, shares this view. "Sensors are becoming 'the grower's new green fingers.' The fact is, however, that implementing biosensors on pot and bedding plant farms will be relatively difficult, as there are many different crops here. Each species has its own characteristics, which in turn have to be interpreted correctly. In this respect, there is still a long way to go. But the fact is: the more you can measure at the plant level, the more control you have over plant growth, diseases, pests, and thus plant health."
Better microclimate
In summary, biosensors offer the possibility of identifying risks in cultivation and plant health. When these risks are detected, it is important to take action. "So then you have to take cultivation measures to mitigate the risks," says Van Bommel. "Think about adjusting watering or fertilization and improving the microclimate around the plant. The more active the microclimate, the better fungi can be prevented, for example."
ErfGoed's AirFlow system can help create the right microclimate around the crop. The principle of this system is very simple: greenhouse air is drawn in and blown through the tubing in the ebb-and-flow floor. There are holes in these so-called distribution tubes, through which the air enters the gravel layer. Through this gravel layer, the air reaches the crop directly. "You then blow hot or cold air through the bottom 30 to 40 centimeters of the crop, as it were. That way, you create a gentle airflow. This makes the crop more active and creates a better microclimate, so that, for instance, fungi have less chance to strike. Because the airflow makes the crop dry faster," Van Bommel explains.
Delphy has been conducting a trial of the AirFlow system at Koppert Cress since week 43 of 2024. Nooren states, "It is still too early to draw conclusions, but the fact is that creating the right microclimate around the plant can help keep diseases and pests under control. In that respect, the AirFlow system can be a valuable tool."
For more information:
ErfGoed
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