Scientists agree that climate change will pose challenges to agriculture in the coming years, reports The Wall Street Journal. Growers could soon turn to the latest technological advancements to combat its threats.
Growing conditions are forecasted to change regionally, causing uncertainty around the length of the growing season and plant needs. One such solution is wearable plant sensors created by Yong Zhu, a mechanical engineer at North Carolina State University, along with his team of researchers. These sensors monitor how a crop is coping with environmental stressors, like heavy rainfall, dry spells, and nutrient levels in the soil.
Robotics will also likely play a bigger role in the future of farming. Tevel, a company based in Israel, has developed a robot fruit harvester to identify and pick ripe fruit from the tree. This technology may help farmers cope with shortened growing seasons.
“Somebody who is today a team leader of a picking crew, in the near future might find themselves monitoring a robotic picker from the convenience of an air-conditioned pickup truck,” said Ittai Marom, U.S. general manager at Tevel. Full Story (Subscription Required)
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