Smart Plants

They are genetically engineered plants to include an ‘intelligent’ gene that acts almost as a warning alarm – specifically for farmers with their crops. For example, a plant that has a genetically engineered gene to sense the levels of nutrients in the soil, could help assist farmers in saving large masses of their crop.

A good example is phosphorus, if this nutrient is very low in soil, farmers can up to 40 – 50% of the crop they planned. Smart plants will "sense" the level of phosphorus, which turns on another gene that causes the plant to change leaf color from green to a deep purple when the level is low. The change will allow farmers to pinpoint areas where phosphorus is needed so they can apply fertilizer only to those areas instead of blanketing the field.

The great benefits of the smart plant are that they are still edible and can be harvested with the rest of the crop.