Smartphone Tech Can ID Plant Diseases In The Field (IMAGE)
Caption
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a handheld device that can be plugged into a smartphone so that farmers can identify plant diseases in the field. The handheld device, which is plugged into a smartphone, works by sampling the airborne volatile organic compounds that plants release through their leaves. If a farmer suspects that a plant may be diseased, he or she can take a leaf from the relevant plant and place it in a test tube. The test tube is then capped for at least 15 minutes to allow the relevant VOCs to accumulate. After this incubation period, the cap is removed and the farmer uses a narrow, plastic tube to pump the VOC-laden air into a "reader" device connected to a smartphone. The air is pumped into a chamber in the reader that contains a paper strip. The paper is embedded with an array of chemical reagents that change color when they come into contact with a specific chemical group. By evaluating the resulting color pattern on the strip, users can determine the nature of any plant disease that may be affecting the plant.
Credit
Zheng Li, NC State University
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