ગુજરાતી
English
Ahmedabad, 7 April 2025
A device that gives a complete report on the elements and living organisms of the soil has been discovered by Gujarat scientist Dr. Madhukant Patel. Retired ISRO scientist Dr. Madhukant Patel, who tests soil in 10 seconds, has done research on an AI-based spectroscopy device. This device can measure organic matter, humus and organic matter in the soil. Which is very useful for natural agriculture. The presence of these elements, organisms and bacteria cannot be detected in traditional soil testing.
Dr. Madhukant Patel has developed a device that can revolutionize the method of soil testing. The amount of nutrients in the soil is determined by shining three types of light on the soil: ultraviolet, visible light and infrared light.
Metal rods have been developed with the help of nanotechnology. It can also measure other properties of the soil it comes in contact with. The 16 elements present in the soil include salt, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and acidic and alkaline elements.
The instrument has been approved for instrument calibration by the state government’s agriculture director’s office. “This instrument is inserted into the ground and tests the soil in just 10-15 seconds and gives a report,” says Dr Patel. This makes it possible to test the soil of the field repeatedly and quickly.
Even an ordinary farmer can easily get the soil of his field tested. This saves farmers’ time and resources in the agriculture sector.
This shows whether suitable land is available or not. Soil health testing is done to check the quality of the soil, including the presence of nutrients.
As per the guidelines of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), there are about 20 government and 2 cooperative soil testing laboratories in the state. In the laboratory, soil properties such as nutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) as well as pH value and electrical conductivity (EC) are tested. Which takes about 10-12 days.
New technology in the hands of farmers
This device designed by Dr. Patel can be easily used by any ordinary farmer. This technology is so simple that it can be used like a torch light. Now there will be no need to send the soil to the laboratory for farming. This device can analyze important factors like nutrients, organic matter and bioavailability in the soil in just 10-15 seconds.
Why is this device effective?
This device is based on the modern method of spectroscopy. Where soil elements are identified using ultraviolet, visible and infrared light. Along with this, the presence of beneficial bacteria like Azotobacter, Nitrobacter, Rhizobium can also be detected – which are extremely useful especially for natural farming.
User-friendly and durable
According to Dr Patel, the device can test up to 1 lakh samples. Only the probe and sensor need to be replaced after that. While it may take up to 10 days for the sample to come back in a normal government laboratory, the device provides instant results on the farm.
A future full of AI
Certified samples have been obtained from various soil testing laboratories in the state to calibrate the device. Work is underway to feed the data obtained from it into the device to get more accurate results through machine learning and AI. Soon the device will be able to give more than 95% accurate results.
Retired ISRO scientist Dr Madhukant Patel has done several research related to agriculture.
What is spectrum?
A beam of light that is perceived as white light is actually a mixture of components that give the perception of seven different colours; Newton had proved this fact in 1666 itself through an experiment in which sunlight splits into its components when it passes through a prism. The term ‘spectrum’ originated in reference to the coloured bands that are formed by splitting white light in this way. In Gujarati, the word used for spectrum is ‘varnapat’. To view this ‘spectrum’, a prism or other more complex instrument is used. Such an instrument is called a ‘spectroscope’.
Light propagates in the form of certain types of waves.
The spectrum of electromagnetic waves is very wide, and the range of waves that we see as light is a very small part of this wide spectrum.
The excited emitter spontaneously returns to the unexcited state by emitting an energetic particle at a wavelength corresponding to the energy difference between the levels.
Spectroscopy began with the study of the spectrum – a band of light extending from violet to red – which is formed by splitting white light into its various components by means of a prism. A method of measuring the length of the waves (wavelength) was also developed. The instrument developed for this was known as the spectroscope.
Government laboratory fails
The government has provided equipment to start soil testing laboratories in every government and aided college for students of chemistry, biology and zoology to do practical work on soil testing. Students
They were paid for their soil testing work. But the soil testing laboratory was locked after the agriculture department stopped such work for the last seven years.
The samples sent to science colleges for soil analysis provided information about the mineral elements present in the soil. What type of fertilizer is needed for soil improvement?
An in-depth study was done to find out which elements are disappearing from fertile soil. But since 2017, soil testing laboratories have gradually closed down.
Students used to prepare health cards after soil testing. Based on the soil testing work prepared by the students, the agriculture department prepared a comprehensive report on agricultural land in each district.
Valuable equipment has become useless.
The college in Rajkot stood first with 45,000 soil tests. Kotak Science College was the first college in the state to start a soil testing laboratory. Today, the soil testing laboratory located in the Kotak Science College campus has become dilapidated and closed. (Google translation from Gujarati)
