Potential new tool for frost screening in crops
Frost-damaged barley in field trials at Loxton
Agricultural scientists and engineers at the University of 新浪彩票 have identified a potential new tool for screening cereal crops for frost damage.
Their research, published this week in the journal , has shown they can successfully screen barley plants for frost damage non-destructively with imaging technology using terahertz waves (which lie between the microwave and infrared waves on the electromagnetic spectrum).
鈥淔rost is estimated to cost Australian grain growers $360 million in direct and indirect losses every year,鈥 says project leader Professor Jason Able, at the University鈥檚 School of Agriculture, Food and Wine.
鈥淭o minimise significant economic loss, it is crucial that growers鈥 decisions on whether to cut the crop for hay or continue to harvest are made soon after frost damage has occurred. However, analysing the developing grains for frost damage is difficult, time-consuming and involves destructive sampling.鈥
Frost damage can happen when the reproductive organs of the plant are exposed to air temperatures below 0掳C during the growing season, with the