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Thermal Images Give Thirsty Plants a Voice
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Thermal images revealing hot spots on Lavender crops
Lancaster University is leading moves to develop a state-of-the-art irrigation system, which lets growers know when their plants are thirsty, thanks to a £1.49 million project funded by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Horticultural Development Council and industrial partners.
As plants become too dry they begin to show signs of stress and warm up. This warming shows up as distinct warm spots on a leaf viewed with a thermal imaging camera.
Conventional and thermal camera imaging systems on an irrigation boom would be passed over the crops at regular intervals collecting information about how much water each plant needed. This information would be fed into an automated irrigation system which would then robotically deliver a precise, targeted amount water to each plant, according to demand.
This could have a profound impact on horticulture and some types of agriculture, making more efficient use of limited water supply, reducing crop variability and waste and thereby saving growers money.
Within the next four years, scientists, working with horticulturalists and a consortium of 11 small and medium sized enterprises across the UK, hope to develop an automated high-tech watering device, of a type which has never been used before in the UK
The project also brings together Lancaster University researchers in the Centre of Sustainable Agriculture at the Lancaster Environment Centre with partners at the University of Dundee and industry experts at Pera Innovation and East Malling Research.
Project co-ordinator Professor Bill Davies, Director of the Lancaster Environment Centre, said: "This technology is potentially revolutionary in that it lets the plant tell you when it is thirsty and exactly how much water it needs.
Through this system we are trying to double water use efficiency, which in itself would be impressive and important. If this works well it could have the potential to increase efficiency by ten times or more."
Fri 11 November 2005
Associated Links
- Lancaster Environment Centre - Innovation, training and research for a sustainable future
- Thermal images give thirsty plants a voice - LU News article
Latest News
Geography student sets up film company
It is well known that Geography graduates are highly employable and use their degrees in many different ways. One of the more unusual we have heard about recently is Lancaster geographer Greg Tomaszewicz who has set up his own Video Production Company - Lanor Productions.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Fri 22 February 2013
Eco-innovation businesses invited to attend pioneering project launch
Ambitious North West SMEs keen to drive forward eco-innovative ideas and products are invited to a major event in Manchester on March 4.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Thu 21 February 2013
First Science and Technology Business Partnerships and Enterprise Annual Report 2011-2012 available to download now
2011-2012 saw the development of a new theme-based strategy for Business Partnerships and Enterprise in Science and Technology. The seven interdisciplinary themes are: Advanced Manufacturing, Energy, Environment, Health and Human Development, Information and Communication Technologies, Quantum Technology and Security. Each theme has dedicated professional staff to work with businesses and source the expertise they need.
Tue 19 February 2013
Lancaster University Coffeemat Challenge won by Science and Technology student Seb
The concept of a new university website, complete with mobile application, to capture the campus social scene at a glance, earned an enterprising student an iPad.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Tue 19 February 2013