By Jamie Groh
When it comes to drought stress, timing can be the difference between saving a crop and losing it, whether in a greenhouse or the high-stakes environment of future space missions.
In a recent study published in Plant Phenomics, researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and NASA used hyperspectral imaging to detect stress in lettuce plants shortly after watering was reduced.
The approach allowed researchers to identify plant stress well before visible signs such as wilting or color changes. That early insight could help growers using greenhouses or automated irrigation systems to adjust growing conditions sooner. It also has potential for future space missions, where crops must be carefully monitored to ensure a steady food supply.
Built with space exploration in mind, the research supports development of compact systems that can monitor plant health without constant human oversight. This type of automation will be essential for growing food on the Moon or Mars, where resources would be limited and there is little room for error.
Source : ufl.edu