A precise irrigation monitoring system to provide an accurate measurement of water status in crops

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There is an increasing global pressure on water resources and ensuring there is a sufficient supply in the face of climate change. This is of particular prevalence within the agriculture industry where irrigation is becoming increasingly important. Farmers typically overwater plants by 20% due to insufficient knowledge of plant water status resulting in significant wastewater and lowering plant yields. Saturas have developed StemSense, a unique sensor device that measures Stem Water Potential (SWP). SWP is scientifically proven to provide the most accurate data on plant water status. Saturas’ system then interprets this data, incorporating external factors such as meteorological data and provides recommended levels of irrigation to farmers. Farmers using the StemSense sensor experience up to 20% higher income, significant water savings and reduced costs. The overall objectives of the Phase 2 project are to design and engineer a miniaturised sensor that can be deployed in a wide variety of plants; to optimise the communication system and user interface; to scale-up production of StemSense with a contract manufacturer; and to demonstrate and validate the technology in in-field trials with farmers across Europe. The overall objective is to reach full commercialisation of StemSense as a reliable innovation validated by the relevant end-users, farmers.