The Haifa Group, an Israeli crop nutrition specialist, has begun using LiDAR 3D scanning to conduct deeper research into plant growth behaviors.
Using high resolution 3D images captured by the technology, the firm is investigating how plants grow, develop, and respond to changes in the environment.
Installed at the Haifa Group’s Aaronson farm facility, the LiDAR device is fitted to a telescopic bar-equipped kart, so it can move and monitor different experiments. As well as studying growth patterns, it’s expected to unlock insights around biomass accumulation and canopy structures.
It’s said that LiDAR was chosen for the project due to its ability to non-invasively measure plant leaves, stems, and branches, while capturing a “previously unattainable” level of detail.
According to the Haifa Group, its adoption of LiDAR puts it at the “forefront of plant growth assessment technologies,” and allows it to compete against the best institutes in the world.
Already, regular measurements captured with the technology are yielding dense point clouds that pick up subtle variations in growth rates due to water, light, and temperature changes.
With further development, it’s hoped the company’s approach will unlock insights that help improve agricultural crop yields. LiDAR-powered farming… now we’ve heard it all!
