FLORAPULSE CO. — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase I: 8.4

Description

FloraPulse - Water potential sensor for small-stem cropsTitle: Plug and play inexpensive water potential sensor for wide use in small-stem cropsP.I.: Dr. Michael Santiago FloraPulse CoCo-P.I.: Dr. Alan Lakso FloraPulse CoSub-contract: Dr. Kenneth Shackel University of California DavisProject summaryProblem. Water potential is critical to guide irrigation timing and quantity dramaticallyaffecting crop yield quality and water use efficiency. Growers lack tools to measure waterpotential accurately automatically and long-term leading to preventable crop losses and excesswater use. FloraPulse has demonstrated the only sensor that meets these requirements amicrotensiometer that directly measures water potential in the plant stem but the currentinstallation method is too large for a majority of commercial crops (i.e. corn cotton blueberryetc.).Objectives. We aim to: increase the sensor microchip sensitivity (30x) and measurement speed(25x). Develop an installation method that is 10x faster easier and dramatically smaller to allowwidespread water potential measurement in stems as little as 5 mm. Survey crop woundingresponse to sensor installation in 10+ small-stem crops. Validate small-stem installation methodin the laboratory and commercial small-stem crops.Plan. We will: improve sensor sensitivity and speed through changes in the microchipfabrication including modifications to the nanoporous membrane the piezoresistive sensingelements and the sensing diaphragm geometry. Improve the installation method throughmodifications to the installation hardware that will provide adequate transmission of waterpotential information between the xylem and sensor in a 10x smaller installation. Test theseimprovements in our laboratory artificial stem and afterwards in field grape almond blueberrycotton and corn through our collaborators.Impacts. The small-stem sensor developed will enable realtime water potential measurementin crops worth over $500 billion worldwide and could lead to 20% yield increases and 50% watersavings.18