A plant sensor is a device designed to monitor the environmental conditions surrounding a plant, including light, temperature, humidity, soil nutrition, and more. By utilizing built-in sensors, it collects data and transmits it to a smart terminal, enabling real-time monitoring and facilitating timely adjustments and interventions to support plant growth. This technology has heightened people's awareness and interest in plant care.

Plant sensors have significantly impacted the agricultural sector, revolutionizing traditional farming practices by introducing intelligence. With the aid of sensors, we can overcome natural limitations like weather variability, enabling remote scientific monitoring of fields, greenhouses, aquaculture, and livestock. This not only reduces labor requirements but also enhances agricultural resilience and productivity through scientific analysis methods, thereby improving disaster resilience and overall output.

Commonly utilized sensors in agriculture

- Soil NPK Sensor: The Soil NPK Sensor measures the levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), crucial macronutrients vital for robust plant growth. By swiftly detecting these nutrient statuses in soil, farmers are equipped with valuable insights to address potential deficiencies effectively.

- Light sensor: Light sensors are essential tools in agriculture as they regulate light intensity, a crucial factor influencing photosynthesis. While increased light intensity typically boosts photosynthetic activity, surpassing optimal levels prompts leaf stomata closure, diminishing photosynthesis. Hence, employing light sensors to manage light intensity is pivotal for optimizing crop yields, ensuring uniform and consistent light distribution for crops.

- Temperature and humidity sensors: Temperature and humidity sensors play a crucial role in greenhouse environments, fostering optimal conditions for plant growth. These sensors are integral to IoT agricultural monitoring systems, enabling operators to adjust heating, ventilation, and other equipment within greenhouses based on real-time temperature and humidity data.

- Carbon dioxide sensor: Maintaining an appropriate concentration of carbon dioxide in crop greenhouses is essential for promoting the growth of most crops, as they rely on carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis to thrive.

More sensors:

- Hydrogen Peroxide Sensors：Hydrogen Peroxide Nanosensors, comprising minuscule carbon nanotubes enveloped in a polymer, offer versatility in detecting various molecules by altering the polymer's three-dimensional configuration. When plants face challenges like insect invasions, bacterial infections, or excessive light, they utilize hydrogen peroxide as a signaling molecule. These nanosensors emit fluorescent signals upon detecting the presence of this target chemical.

- Salicylic acid sensors: Salicylic acid plays a pivotal role in regulating various facets of plant growth, development, and stress responses. Within two hours of exposure to factors such as heat, intense light, or bacterial infection, plants can initiate the production of salicylic acid.

- Biodegradable sensor: Termed as a "plant wearable," this biodegradable sensor can be directly applied onto the surfaces of fruits and vegetables to identify pesticide residues. Crafted from cellulose acetate sourced from wood pulp, it efficiently detects pesticides present on the surfaces of fruits, vegetables, or leaves.

Currently, plant sensors are still undergoing research and development, encountering numerous challenges in practical implementation. As plant physiology advances and related research deepens, these sensors are poised to evolve towards non-destructive online monitoring, enhancing sensitivity, precision, and diversifying into miniaturized and intelligent variants. This evolution aims to achieve seamless wireless networking and digitalization.