Low-cost Sensor Indicates Soil pH for Farms

Researchers in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder have developed a low-cost electronic sensor capable of continuously monitoring soil pH, offering farms a way to monitor soil conditions constantly. The team worked with an electronic sensor that uses a pH-sensitive dye called alizarin to provide dependable readings and modified the sensor with a printed circuit board-based design that was easier to manufacture. By pairing it with an inexpensive, field-deployable readout system, the technology became more practical to distribute and use outdoors. “In many cases, by the time farmers discover that something is wrong with their soil or plants, the window for effective treatment may have already passed,” said Professor Gregory Whiting, who also explained the value of the new tool: “These things cost close to nothing to make, function with minimal human effort and can be used in various soil types, allowing the technology to actually be useful in farms.”