The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to help fruit and tree nut growers minimize environmental impacts and improve profitability. This project will use data from implantable microchip sensors that directly measure tree hydration to develop precision models of tree and vine needs for water. These models require no hardware installation and are packaged in a user-friendly format. They will automatically provide growers with affordable advice tailored to their field and crop, enabling accurate 24/7 water status data, forecasts, and recommendations for large-scale improvements in irrigation management of tree crops.
This SBIR Phase I project will explore plant health via continuous variation of water status or drought stress within the tissues. This data stream will be used to build dynamical models of plant water stress. The project's technical aims are to: 1) Characterize the spatial (due to plant position in the field) and temporal variations; 2) Develop a framework for iterative development of predictive models of water stress dynamics from the single-plant to the whole-field scale; and 3) Develop a system optimized for industrial modeling of the spatial and temporal dynamics of water across the full orchard or vineyard, diagnostics of high- and low-performing cultivars, irrigation blocks, and decision support to optimize field design and crop management.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
