Micro scale sap flow sensor based on Granier sensor for measuring biological information of plant branches

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510169
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Microdevices/Nanodevices
• Research Institution: Kagawa University
• Principal Investigator: SHIMOKAWA Fusao 香川大学, 工学部, 教授 (90580598)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAO Hidekuni 香川大学, 工学部, 教授 (40314091) ; KOBAYASHI Tsuyoshi 香川大学, 農学部, 准教授 (70346633)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 農業ICT / 植物生体情報計測 / MEMS / マイクロセンサ / 水分動態 / 新梢末端 / 微少流量 / 高速応答性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a micro sap flow sensor using the measuring principle of the Granier's method by applying MEMS technology. By using the micro fabrication techniques, we fabricated an integrated micro sap flow sensor consisting of micro probes, temperature sensor and thin-film micro heater on a Si substrate. The fabricated micro sensor was reduced to 1/10 the size of a conventional Granier sensor (diameter:φ2mm, length:20 mm). To investigate the use of the proposed sensor in measuring the actual sap flow amount of plants, an experimental system (to control the flow inside a tube) imitating a plant's stem was fabricated. As the result, we demonstrated the use of the sensor in obtaining sap flow amount data (0～150 μm/s), similar to the use of a conventional sensor. By using a fabricated micro sensor, a normal diurnal sap flow pattern was observed in model plant. Therefore, we successfully demonstrated the applicability of the proposed sensor to an actual plant.

Free Research Field

MEMS