Detecting crop anomalies early could become easier for farmers thanks to research underway at Kennesaw State University. With support from a $131,863 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, KSU researchers are developing wireless technology designed to monitor soybean crops and help farmers make more informed decisions. The award is KSU's share of a $660,000 NSF-funded collaboration.
The project, called “SoyWatch,” combines wireless sensors and artificial intelligence to support precision soybean breeding and identify potential threats to crop health, including nutrient deficiencies and disease. Jian Zhang, an associate professor of information technology in KSU's College of Computing and Software Engineering, leads KSU's contribution to the project, collaborating with researchers at the University of Missouri, the University of Memphis, and institutions in India.
Farmers often face challenges monitoring conditions across large areas of farmland. Through SoyWatch, sensors placed in the soil will collect information about growing conditions and transmit the data wirelessly to collection devices mounted on towers, drones, or ground vehicles.
KSU's role focuses on developing a battery-free wireless communication system that can transmit information over longer distances while allowing multiple sensors to communicate simultaneously. The technology is designed to reduce maintenance needs and make large-scale crop monitoring more practical.
Source : kennesaw.edu