Real-Time Monitoring of Plant Stalk Growth Using a Flexible Printed Circuit Board Sensor

Monitoring of plant growth within agriculture is essential for ensuring the survival of crops and optimization of resources in the face of environmental and industrial challenges. Herein, we describe a low-cost and easily deployable flexible circuit board sensor for measurement of plant stalk growth, providing for remote tracking of plant development on an industrial scale. Three circuit topologies and measurement strategies - “ladder-type,” “multiplex-type,” and “mixed-type” - are initially assessed off-plant in a simulated growth experiment. Further development of the “multiplex-type” sensor and on-plant validation demonstrates its ability to quantify stalk growth as a proxy for plant development.