Portable handheld device measures the health of a crop, helping farmers make more efficient use of fertilizer.

Trimble has introduced the GreenSeeker handheld crop sensor, a measurement device designed to assess the health of a crop. Readings taken with the GreenSeeker handheld can be used to make decisions regarding the amount of fertilizer to be applied to a crop, resulting in a more efficient use of inputs.

Operators position the handheld sensor over a plant, pull the trigger, and the GreenSeeker handheld instantly calculates the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which represents the health of the plant. By gathering several readings from plants throughout a field, users can better determine the overall health and needs of a crop. This can result in a more efficient use of fertilizer, which benefits both the farmer’s bottom line and the environment.

The GreenSeeker handheld provides farmers and crop consultants with an affordable way to begin utilizing NDVI algorithms to help them better understand the health of a crop. Readings from the GreenSeeker handheld can be used to indicate basic nutrient response, crop condition, yield potential, stress, biomass, leaf area, herbicide efficiency and pest impact. It can be used to monitor changing field conditions (crop and plant) during the growing season as well as the effects of different levels of an input compared to a local standard.

“As part of our continuing goal to provide solutions that help farmers improve efficiency and reduce costs, Trimble has introduced an affordable crop sensor for farming operations of all sizes,” said Erik Arvesen, vice president for Trimble’s Agriculture Division. “The GreenSeeker handheld removes the guesswork so farmers can more efficiently run their operations, making informed decisions about their crop based on compiled data to ultimately increase profitability through input savings.”

The GreenSeeker handheld is expected to be available in mid-August 2012. The list price for the GreenSeeker handheld starts at US$495.

For more information, visit Trimble's website.