NutriSens – A portable device for soil testing device

June 6, 2023 Innovation Valli Sarvani No comments

Traditionally, farmers had to wait for about 15 days to receive soil testing results to determine the fertilizers needed for their soil.

This delay often led to farmers applying fertilizers before obtaining the test results to sow seeds on time.

In India, where there are only around 3,000 soil testing labs for approximately 140 million farmers, this delay and lack of access to testing facilities posed a significant challenge.

To address this problem, Dr Rajul Patkar, CEO and co-founder of Pune-based Proximal Soilsens Technologies, along with Dr Mukul Singh, developed NutriSens.

It is a user-friendly paper-based sensor strip device that simplifies soil testing, similar to testing blood sugar at home. This innovative soil health testing device provides results within minutes for six different parameters.

After more than a decade of research, Dr Rajul successfully created the device’s prototype in early 2022. The usage of the device is so simple that anyone can test the soil health easily.

The device takes about five minutes to test the soil for all six parameters. Once the test is complete, a soil health card is generated, which can be instantly downloaded on mobile phones.

The duo has already made considerable progress, having sold over 2,000 consumable sensor strips. These strips are currently priced at ₹35,000 and are available in Punjab, Assam, Telangana, and Maharashtra.

The introduction of NutriSens brings significant advantages to farmers, providing them with quick and accessible soil testing capabilities.

By enabling farmers to obtain immediate results, they can make informed decisions about the fertilizers their soil requires, optimizing their agricultural practices.

This revolutionary device not only saves time but also empowers farmers to make more sustainable and efficient choices for their crops.

With NutriSens, Dr Rajul Patkar and Dr Mukul Singh are making a profound impact on agriculture, enhancing soil health management for farmers across India.

Image Credit: Soilsens Website Screenshot