Towards Continuous Real-Time Plant and Insect Monitoring by Miniaturized THz Systems
Fawad Sheikh, Andreas Prokscha, Aman Batra, Dien Lessy, Baha Salah, Benedikt Sievert, Marvin Degen, Andreas Rennings, Mandana Jalali, Jan Taro Svejda, Pooya Alibeigloo, Christian Preuss, Enes Mutlu, Robin Kress, Simone Clochiatti, Kevin Kolpatzeck, Tobias Kubiczek, Ingrid Ullmann, Konstantin Root, Fabian Brix, Ute Krämer, Martin Vossiek, Jan C. Balzer, Nils Weimann, Thomas Kaiser, Daniel Erni
Abstract
In this paper, new concepts for continuous 24/7 real-time monitoring of plants and insects with miniaturized terahertz (THz) systems are described and experimentally tested. Thus, for the first time, small-scale insights into the instantaneous plant health but also in their long-term growth can be obtained. Using such compact THz systems, e.g. water uptake, insect infestation and the behavior of pollinators (i.e. honey bees) and pests can be measured dynamically and non-invasively at virtually any position in the close biotope surrounding them. In addition to general understanding, this can be used to optimize crop yield and reduce resource consumption as well as for identifying characteristics of insect-plant interactions induced by potential environmental stressors. Given such holistic a approach, the proposed concepts may provide a significant advancement in environmental monitoring technology.