Plant Water Content Monitoring Using Miniaturized THz RTD Oscillators and Detectors

The growing focus on the sub-THz frequency range and beyond has spurred the creation of innovative applications across various fields. This work presents measurements using in-house fabricated resonant tunneling diode (RTD) oscillators and detectors to measure water content in plant leaves. The method accurately monitors water content distribution and changes with a maximum 5% error, demonstrating the potential of RTD THz measurements for noninvasive, continuous assessment of plant health status. The integration of low-cost THz sensors with RTD transceivers into agricultural systems could significantly benefit precision agriculture by enabling localized control of water and fertilizer application through a low-power, cellular wireless network. The presented work highlights the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the proposed technology.