Public-private initiative PhotonDelta and OnePlanet Research Center have today launched the ‘Integrated Photonics for Agrifood’ roadmap during the Post Harvest Unlimited Conference (PHUC) at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. It was presented by Lex Oosterveld, principal member of the technical staff at OnePlanet Research Center.

The roadmap describes the role integrated photonics will play in the transformation of sustainable farming practices and food distribution – maximizing yield and minimizing food waste throughout the food supply chain. Multiple organizations have contributed to the roadmap’s creation, including MantiSpectra, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Delft University of Technology.

Precision agriculture is at the forefront of this transformation. It uses sensors to enable highly precise and optimized growing and distribution techniques. That is where photonic integrated circuits (PICs) come in.The integrated photonic microchips are fabricated like semiconductors, but use photons instead of electrons. Miniaturization and low power consumption make them well-suited to handheld devices. They are ideal for optical sensing applications, particularly real-time remote sensing of crop and food composition, both in the field and throughout the supply chain.

Integrated photonic sensors enable farmers to give crops the optimum amount of water, light, and nutrients – and food producers are able to accurately assess crop yield and quality. Sensors also allow early detection of crop conditions and diseases, avoiding waste. A limited number of platforms have multiple applications, opening up exciting opportunities within the agrifood industry. Not only that, these improvements also lead to significant cost-savings.