In a study published in Plant Phenomics, researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and NASA used hyperspectral imaging to detect stress in lettuce plants shortly after watering was reduced.
The approach allowed researchers to identify plant stress well before visible signs such as wilting or color changes. That early insight could help growers using greenhouses or automated irrigation systems to adjust growing conditions sooner. It also has potential for future space missions, where crops must be carefully monitored to ensure a steady food supply.
Read more about From Fields to Space Farming, New Tool Detects Crop Drought Stress Before It’s Visible.
