Athena IR-Tech

Precision irrigation based on watching how well the plant makes use of the water available to it via how well it is transpiring at the leaf using constant readings from IR sensors in the field and a proprietary algorithm that tells the grower if their crop is optimally utilising the water available to it. Athena IR-Tech is at the heart of precision irrigation with our Transp-IR solution. How well does this work? In proven trials, growers will get the same yield and quality with 75% less water with our solution for shiraz. For cabernet sauvignon there is a savings of about 35% with no change in yield or quality. In high stress situations, Transp-IR will also inform growers their crops are at risk of shutting down prior to the growers seeing any physical evidence in the field. At Athena IR-Tech we simply listen to the plant. All we need to do is measure how well the plant is managing its environmental factors. Multi-year scientific research has allowed us to commercialise a proprietary algorithm that measures how well the plant is transpiring and convert that into an optimal level of water use efficiency that is specific to the crop you are growing. This is then directly linked to the plant’s ability to photosynthesize and therefore manage the development of its crop from a yield or quality perspective. Our Transp-IR solution is crop or cultivar specific as every cultivar or crop regulates the opening and closing of its stomata differently. For example, we have the algorithm tuned to winegrapes, we have it tuned to achieve the optimal irrigation for cabernet sauvignon as opposed to shiraz. We combine this great science with an easy to use interface that simply provides the grower the answer. Through an email or SMS message that will tell the grower to irrigate or visually on a graph, the grower immediately knows if the plant requires water.