Poma Fresh^TM worked with a large Midwest potato grower to assess their current crop for common viruses and the indigenous conditions that can reduce yields and diminish quality. We spent a day on the ground with the farm’s management and agriculture teams. Our assessment was randomized. We tested plants across a range of environmental conditions.

WE BEGAN TAKING PICTURES WITH THE POMA FRESH^TM APPLICATION

• Part of Poma Fresh^TM‘s power is that we can see the results immediately. When growers detect viruses and other conditions, they can begin remediation efforts—they don’t have to wait for results to come back from the lab.
• We assessed plant foliage as well as tubers that were still in the ground. Our initial images of the plants showed us that the potatoes were suffering from a range of common maladies.

The image on the left shows a plant that looks normal. The Poma Fresh images show plant stress.

These potato plants show nitrogen depletion

• PVY virus. The Poma Fresh^TM image shows where the PVY virus has affected the potato plant. The individual leaf clearly reveals a white line around the edges and the cupping, or curving inward, that is typical of PVY virus contamination.

We found plants with the common PVY Virus

• Bug damage. The common black and yellow-striped potato bug is the potato farmers’ most serious insect menace. Both the bug and the larva feed on potato leaves. Infestation can result in insignificantly reduced yields and may even kill plants. The image on the left shows the striped bugs on the potato plant. The image on the right shows white leaves that have been damaged by the potato bug.

The image on the left shows the potato bug at work; the one on the right shows the damage.

• Photosynthesis. Humans don’t see photosynthesis very well—the colors fall outside the range of the human eye. These graphs show the color range that the human eye can detect vs those that the camera can capture.

The level of photosynthesis activity detected by the human eye

The level of photosynthesis activity detected by a camera

PHOTOSYNTHESIS ASSESSMENT: WHY THIS MATTERS

• New challenges due changing weather patterns. Changing weather patterns mean that growers are facing new challenges as they strive to balance irrigation, fertilization and pest control.
• Plants growing in different parts of a field can differ significantly in the way they are utilizing water and fertilizer. Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, are responsible for huge crop losses globally.
• PRI can indicate plant stress. Studies show that changes in the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) can be an indicator of photosynthetic stress in plants.
• Photosynthesis is the fueling process that allows plants to survive and grow, and we rely on the photosynthetic process to recycle our air. Ironically, if the sun burns too brightly, it can cause photosynthesis to stop occurring altogether. In very warm climates, photosynthesis shuts down during the hottest hours of the day.

I don't know what this plant is showing.

MEASURING THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming means that growers are now keenly aware of the photosynthetic activity of their plants, as it can have a dramatic effect on overall crop quality. Learning to maximize photosynthesis will improve plant growth and overall yield.

HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH GROWERS

We've created an on-tractor camera system. Our Poma Fresh^TM cameras are mounted on the xxxx. They sweep the fields and can measure plant health. Our customized system includes:

• Placement of camera and display mounting
• Filters, lighting for night time PRI data acquisition
• Software development