Research towards a low-cost multi-analytical sensor approach for real-time monitoring of soil health and biodiversity
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Soil health is an often-used conceptual term that is poorly defined yet central to agricultural sustainability and productivity at local to global scales. The poor definition partly comes competing land-use interests and from the restrictive capabilities in monitoring physical, chemical and importantly biological parameters in soil. At UWE, we are leading a cross-disciplinary approach to bring together low-cost screen-printed sensing technologies for multi-analytical analysis of important diagnostic (bio)markers, sensors for monitoring eco-acoustics and geo-acoustics with advances in genetic cross-matching, and metal-oxide based sensors for gas analysis (e.g. carbon dioxide, ethylene, VOCs, etc). We are developing these research streams towards a wireless independent integrated monitoring platform within the soil profile better define, understand the health of their soil and the consequences of management interventions. The platform optimises power-usage, passive analysis, effective data transfer and interpretation and may in future become self-powered. Our concept is to develop an affordable adaptable system to deploy at scale to replace point-in-time destructive sampling and for the first time gain a holistic real-time understanding of the soil system. This presentation describes the progress we have made towards this goal.
Authors: Crew, Adrian, Palmer, Marcus, Bonnett, Sam
Language: English
Topic: Smart Agriculture and AI
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204430397