ZIM Plant Technology GmbH

When olives on the field in Spain need water, an alarm sounds in Hennigsdorf in Brandenburg. That’s where ZIM Plant Technology GmbH is located. It has developed a process for monitoring the water balance of plants in real time via the Internet – and won the Berlin Brandenburg 2011 Innovation Award for its concept.

The most important component for the new measuring principle is a magnetic probe with a pressure sensor fixated to each side of a leaf. The probe measures the internal cell pressure of the leaf, known as the turgor. The lower the turgor, the dryer the plant. Every five minutes the probe sends a signal to ZIM Plant Technology via the Internet, and then ZIM informs the field’s owner of the status. “We are essentially directly part of the plant,” said Simon Rüger, ZIM Plant Technology’s managing director.

Data Directly from the Plant

All the previous measuring methods were either ground-based or water-based, according to Rüger, making measurements indirect. “But then, you do not necessarily know if your plant is doing well.” With ZIM Plant Technology’s measuring principle, farmers and gardeners around the world can optimally adjust the irrigation for their plants. That conserves water and saves money. And in addition, farmers and gardeners no longer need to patrol their fields to examine how dry their plants are – the technology takes charge. “We recommend installing roughly 6 probes for an area of 30 to 40 hectares, said Simon Rüger.

Thanks to the possibility of controlling plant irrigation, farmers and gardeners can also increase the quality of their crops. For example, when grape vines are placed under stress – when they receive less water – they develop a particular aroma, explained Simon Rüger. Moreover, botanical and environmental institutes use ZIM Plant Technology’s technology for their research. They test, for example, which types of trees are most suited for the constantly changing climate. “This makes it possible to actively control reforestation,” Rüger said.

Biotechnology Professor developed the Measuring Concept

Dr. Ulrich Zimmermann laid the foundation for this innovative measuring principle in 2007, when he was the head of the University of Würzburg’s biotechnology department. With his team, he conducted numerous field tests around the world, including Australia, Israel and Spain. “Basically we were able to use (the experience) of two summers,” said Simon Rüger, ZIM Plant Technology’s managing director. The breakthrough for a market-ready product came at the beginning of 2011, near the time the company in Hennigsdorf in Brandenburg, near Berlin, was founded.

The location has multiple advantages for the young company. “For example we have the proximity to the growing Internet-metropolis Berlin,” said Simon Rüger. “Since we offer an Internet-based type of technology, we need a good environment for development.” In Brandenburg, the company cooperates on a joint research project with the University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde. And the sandy ground in Brandenburg offers the team favorable conditions for more tests. “We are currently developing new probe systems for coniferous and fruit trees,” said Simon Rüger. Additionally, in the long term, the aim is for the technological system to be able to inform the customer directly – without going through ZIM Plant Technology – and also activate the water pumps automatically.