Parched crops send farmers SOS texts

AS BRITISH farmers struggle to cope with extreme weather patterns this summer, scientists are working on a hi-tech way to help their crops before it is too late.

A new technology being trialled allows farmers to receive text messages direct from their strawberries – or any fruit or vegetable crop – when they are threatened, such as when they are lacking water or being attacked by a pest.

The system works by using sensors close to the crops to monitor conditions such as temperature and humidity. The data is sent to an app on the farmer’s smartphone, allowing them to oversee the health of their fields in real time and at the touch of a button.

They can also choose to receive WhatsApp notifica- tions if heat or water levels reach a critical point.

The technology, developed by start-up Deepfield Connect, is already in use in Germany. Thijs Verploegen, a specialist at the company, told The Sunday Telegraph: “Your fruit and fields are sending you a WhatsApp, like, ‘I need water’ – and this allows you to communicate with your produce.

“The feedback allows the grower to optimise the strawberries.

“The yields will increase, losses will be minimised and you will improve the quality, as disease in the fruit will be cut down.”

The system is rently automated.

However, in the future, warnings of a lack of water could trigger a sprinkler system to turn on so that farmers no longer have to worry about visiting their crops. not cur-