What's the impact of dew on Photosynq measurements?

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Anne Stanton

Jun 2015

Hi, I'm trying to use photosynq to measure phi2 and SPAD on wheat in farmer's fields. The other day I went out to take measurements and it was extremely damp. I tried to shake off the dew with my fingers, but it was still quite damp. Should I be using a paper towel to dry them before taking measurements? What effect, if any, does that have on the data? Thanks

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    Jun 2015

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    Jun 2015

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Greg Austic

Jun 2015

Good question. In my experience, dew has not caused any shorts or issues so far, and I do not actually dab it off with a paper towel I just shake it off with my finger. That being said, obviously the circuit board and things are visible from the outside, so it is possible for water to get in there and cause problems for sure.

So I'd say if there are droplets of water, get rid of them. If the surface of the leaf is just wetted a little, that's probably ok (as the water won't likely accumulate enough to actually drip inside the case).

In the next version of the hardware we're taking lots of extra precautions to deal with this issue so hopefully we can be a bit less cautious about potential damage from water.