1. Thermal Imaging
  2. Applications
  3. Infrared cameras for use in agriculture

Thermal Imaging in Agriculture: Crop Production and Animal Husbandry

In agriculture and precision farming, economic, ecological and social factors have become increasingly important. In this context, sustainable agriculture in terms of resource conservation and environmental compatibility, agrobiodiversity, plant protection and population supply are among the objectives. When it comes to animal husbandry, the focus lies on both animal welfare and environmental protection.

InfraTec: thermography in agriculture | Picture credits: © istock / valio84sl-alexia-khruscheva
InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - thermogram of a field
InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - thermogram of plants
InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - animal husbandry
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Thermal imaging can help to gain targeted knowledge, for example to promote the biodiversity of crops and to breed more robust varieties. When used in animal husbandry, thermal imaging allows conclusions to be drawn about animal health, among other things.

For many years, thermal imaging has therefore been established as a measurement method in agriculture. Both on the ground and from the air, it provides reliable data on the temperature distribution and allows a real-time assessment of the condition. In the context of precision farming, thermal imaging and agricultural research offers the opportunity of:

  • Recording different microclimatic conditions

  • Determining the yield capacity within a field

  • Drawing conclusions about plant development and health

  • Monitoring the storage of seeds and harvested products

 Infrared cameras are also used in livestock farming. Industrial animal breeding uses this measurement method, for example, to detect diseases at an early stage or to obtain general information about the animals' health condition.

 All this happens without contact or influence on the plants and animals.

Contact to thermography division of InfraTec

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Infrared Cameras for Plant Research

Growing crops such as cereals, beet or others is becoming increasingly challenging. Environmental conditions such as extreme heat, drought or persistent rainfall affect the health and growth of the plants. Therefore, the aim of certain research projects is to develop more resistant and robust varieties.

InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - thermogram of plants
Fig. 1: Thermographic image of the leaf temperature

One way of doing this is to use infrared cameras. If plants are under drought stress, for example, their temperature changes compared to normal. It is therefore possible to measure the exact surface temperatures on the leaf and their distribution with the help of thermal imaging. The decisive factor here is transpiration, that means, the evaporation of water over the leaf surface.

Heat is produced by all processes inside the plant. It is absorbed during the transpiration of water and released via the leaf surface. If there is too little water, this heat cannot be optimally dissipated, and the plant's temperature rises. Even the smallest temperature changes can then be detected with infrared cameras from InfraTec due to the high thermal resolution of up to 20 mK. One feature of the cameras is that they have different, fast interchangeable lenses. This makes it easy to adapt to almost any object size and distance in order to achieve optimal results.

The resulting research findings provide insights into how adaptable and robust a plant variety is and which varieties will continue to be bred. KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA uses an infrared camera from InfraTec for this purpose.

InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - plant research | Picture credits: ©  KWS Saat SE & Co. KGaA
Fig. 2: Measuring set-up for determining leaf temperature with infrared camera and monitor. (Image: KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA)

Thermal Imaging in Precision Agriculture

In plant condition analysis, so-called precision farming, the transpiration of the plants also plays a decisive role. As in plant research, leaf temperature is also measured here to obtain information about the water balance of the plants, but here aiming at growth control and optimisation as well as needs-based irrigation planning. InfraTec's thermography systems provide the benefits of a large detector format with (1,024 x 768) IR pixels or the innovative MicroScan technology, which enables images to be taken with (2,048 x 1,536) IR pixels and thus enables large-area observations.

Another field of application is the detection of plant diseases and pest infestations. The transpiration of a plant depends not only on external conditions such as wind, temperature and humidity, but also on the plant-specific surface properties. If a leaf is affected by pest infestation or a plant disease, the transpiration behaviour changes. This in turn becomes clear through the change in leaf temperature and can be measured with the help of an infrared camera. Here, too, InfraTec cameras detect the slightest differences in temperature. As a result, it is possible to react immediately to the infestation or disease and organise appropriate analyses and the use of plant protection products.

InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - thermogram of a field
Fig. 3: Leaf temperature provides information about the water balance and the state of health of plants.

Quality Assurance in Potato Storage

Owing to their characteristics, potatoes place very high demands on storage with as little loss as possible.  Their very high water content makes the earth tuber particularly susceptible to mould and rot. An additional challenge is the maintenance of a constant storage temperature. If the temperature is too low, the potato starch is converted into sugar; if the temperature is too high, too much water evaporates and the potatoes become wrinkled and start to sprout.

 To ensure an optimal storage temperature, exact process control is necessary, which can be achieved with the help of thermal imaging, among other things. This is because infrared cameras make it possible to monitor large areas of the warehouse and detect even the slightest temperature changes due to their high measurement accuracy. The advantage of a thermal imaging camera over temperature sensors is that due to a geometrical resolution up to 3.1 megapixels, temperatures can be measured in much greater detail and more efficiently than with a point-by-point measurement. The cameras therefore provide an overall picture of local differences in temperature curves on the surface of the stored goods. The data obtained thus enables process optimisation and optimal climate control.

Animal Welfare: Thermal Imaging as Protection Against Accidents with Agricultural Machinery

Every year, many wild animals fall victim to agricultural and harvesting machinery. Many farmers already use infrared cameras in combination with drones to protect the animals on the one hand and to prevent damage to the machines or even contamination of the crop on the other. With the help of the large detector formats of InfraTec's thermal imaging systems as well as the thermal sensitivity of up to 20 mK, wildlife accidents can be reliably avoided. Infrared cameras from InfraTec detect the animals on the ground and transmit the images in real time to the output device. Hence, appropriate relocation measures can be initiated immediately.

InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - a deer sitting in grass | Picture credits: © istock / tereza_hanoldova
InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - a deer sitting in grass

Animal Husbandry: For the Welfare of the Animals

Infrared cameras allow the very precise measurement of the body temperature of animals. Especially in the field of animal breeding, monitoring the state of health is important. The smallest changes in body temperature can be an indication of developing diseases and enable immediate intervention.

InfraTec: thermography in agriculture - animal husbandry
Fig. 4: The "blue" leg shows poor circulation and indicates a disease.

Advantages of Thermography in Agriculture

MicroScan feature ImageIR

Micro­Scan – Quad­ruple the Image Format

Behind the function is a fast-rotating MicroScan wheel, which is integrated into the camera. It ensures that four different individual exposures are taken per wheel revolution, which are offset laterally by half a pixel each. In this way, thermography achieves a new quality due to thermal images providing a quadrupled spatial resolution.

Camera protective housing for infrared cameras by InfraTec

Wide Range of Protective Hous­ings

The InfraTec product range includes numerous protective housings. The all-weather and robust metal housings allow the use of the thermal cameras in harsh environments and protect against mechanical stress, dust and splash water. Depending on requirements, users can also choose ATEX-certified protective housings that can be used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Thermografie-Kameraserie ImageIR® mit neuer 10 GigE-Schnittstelle

10 GigE Inter­face for a Strong Increase in Output

The 10 Gigabit Ethernet interface of the high-end camera series ImageIR® opens this extremely fast transmission standard with a NIC specially developed by InfraTec. This works with optical or electrical transceiver modules that are easy to change and are called SFP+.

InfraTec glossary - ImageIR® mobile wireless camera remote control

Mobile Wire­less Camera Remote Control

Stationary camera systems are usually used PC-controlled. Alternatively, InfraTec offers a solution that makes the operation of the camera system even more versatile. An additional tablet PC is attached to the camera housing, which enables wireless control of all camera functions. The display solution allows access to all functions of the IRBIS® online control and acquisition software, delivered together with the camera.

InfraTec glossary - Rotating filter- und aperture wheel

Separate Filter & Aper­ture Wheel – Spec­tral Ther­mo­graphy

The combination of a separate filter and aperture wheel, allowing a total of 35 freely selectable combinations, is prerequisite for a universal application in measurement tasks with high object temperatures and in the field of spectral thermography. The neutral density filters used for signal attenuation or the combination of spectral filters and apertures reliably prevent interference effects.

ImageIR filter wheel replacement

Multispectral Feature

The multispectral feature makes it possible to record sequences with constantly changing spectral filters. Images are recorded synchronously with a rapidly rotating filter wheel equipped with the filters. It may be possible to switch between up to seven filters, depending on the version. Due to this the multispectral measurement can be optimised to suit the measuring task if the preset ranges are unsuitable. The integration times can be adapted within the limits calibrated for this filter.

InfraTec Glossary Motorfocus

Motor Focus for ImageIR® Full Lenses – More Comfort

All interchangeable standard lens systems of the ImageIR® series can be combined with a motor focus unit, which is controlled by the camera operating software. It enables precise, remote and fast focusing. In addition, an autofocus function is available which operates reliably even with low image contrasts.

InfraTec Service Calibration Rig

Auto Calibration

The Auto Calibration option expands the HighSense function to include automatic, dynamic adaptation of the integration time. This ensures the utmost temperature measuring accuracy and an optimised signal-to-noise ratio throughout the process. The wellfill of a detector is usually optimal in certain areas of the dynamic range. If the measured object signal is outside theses or user-specified limits, the integration time is readjusted.

InfraTec thermography - Feature EverSharp

Ever­Sharp Func­tion

With the innovative EverSharp function all objects of the image scene are displayed sharply, not depending on camera distance or lens. With the help of special algorithms thermal images with different focus positions are combined automatically, so that only the sharp object structures are displayed in the resulting thermal image. Thus, thermal images turn out very impressive as all objects are displayed in superb image quality.

InfraTec Service - thermography lenses

High‐performance Full Optics

High quality precision lenses allow the adaptation of the image geometry to almost every measuring situation. Its performance parameters are calibrated with respect to functionality, quality and flexible application. Due to proper IR-transparent lens materials and high-precision antireflexion coating, the lenses are optimised for different spectral ranges.

Case Studies in Agriculture

Infrared Cameras for Agriculture

InfraTec Infrared camera
System Cameras

VarioCAM® HDx head S

Image Format(640 x 480) IR-Pixel
Detector typeUncooled Microbolometer Focal Plane Array

InfraTec Infrared camera
System Cameras

VarioCAM® HD head 800

Image Format(1,024 x 768) IR-Pixel
Detector typeUncooled Microbolometer Focal Plane Array

InfraTec Infrared camera
System Cameras

VarioCAM® HD head 900

Image Format(2,048 x 1,536) IR-Pixel
Detector typeUncooled Microbolometer Focal Plane Array

InfraTec Infrared camera
System Cameras

VarioCAM® HDx head 600

Image Format(640 x 480) IR-Pixel
Detector typeUncooled Microbolometer Focal Plane Array

InfraTec Infrared camera
High-end Cameras

ImageIR® 4300

Image Format(320 x 256) IR-Pixel
Detector typeMCT

InfraTec Infrared camera
High-end Cameras

ImageIR® 5300

Image Format(320 x 256) IR-Pixel
Detector typeMCT

InfraTec Infrared camera
Zoom Cameras

ImageIR® 6300 Z

Image Format(640 x 512) IR-Pixel
Detector typeXBn

InfraTec Infrared camera
High-end Cameras

ImageIR® 7300

Image Format(640 x 512) IR-Pixel
Detector typeMCT or InSb

InfraTec Infrared camera
High-end Cameras

ImageIR® 8300

Image Format(640 x 512) IR-Pixel
Detector typeMCT or InSb

Asso­ci­ated Indus­tries & Applic­a­tions

thermal imaging for environmental studies
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