This blog article aims to clarify. what I mean with my motto (“At the Intersection of Crops and Technology”), showcase practical aplication and links the motto with my skill set.
When in early 2020 Corona hit, I was on the verge, of finishing my apprenticeship as a biological technical assistant (see timeline). At that point, I already decided to study molecular and applied plant science in Hanover. Due to the inability to meet with friends, I had to come up with a different strategy to use my time and not just sit home and stare at the wall. So, I bought an Arduino Starter Kit from Amazon and opened a Tutorial Playlist on YouTube. From the moment the kit arrived on my doorstep, I did not stop the tutorial playlist before I finished all of the instructions, that came with the starter kit.
I was awed by the idea, that I could instruct a microcontroller to execute almost any task, I could think of and it would then execute the task, even with the ability to influence the real world through actuators, servos, fans, displays, and also take inputs from the real word though sensors and switches. My immediate thought was: “How can I combine this new ability with my upcoming studies in plant science”. During my bachelor’s, I build a plethora of different projects. From a height-adjustable desk with colored LED strips and a sensor for human perception to a GPS-enabled sailing computer/speedometer/compass/… to a small-scale automated greenhouse that regulates temperature, humidity, light, and ventilation.
The range of applications of technologies, that could be combined with plants and crops in particular seemed endless to me and when I took the course “biosystems engineering”, it not only brought up even more ideas, but also the chance to finally put some of my ideas in to practice and write a thesis with the biosystems engineering-chair group. I took that opportunity and in 2023 wrote my bachelor thesis: “Development of an automated hyperspectral imaging approach for apple russeting quantification”. I was so happy to combine the two topics I am so passionate about Plants and Technology. From there on I decided to focus on exactly that: the intersection of crops and technology, and made it my motto (Moritz Nelle, at the intersection of crops and technology).
In the 21st century, the world is facing a multitude of challenges, such as climate change, population growth, and the need for more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices. On one hand, a lot of the practices in conventional agriculture are at a point, where there is not a lot more room for improvement (e.g., even modern pesticides are not as effective as they used to be, due to the development of resistances), while also not being sustainable in the long run. On the other hand, if only relying on organic agriculture simply does not provide enough yield to feed the world. Taking this into account, the future lies in the combination of both practices and integrating technology into this combined approach. This is where my motto comes into play. I want to be at the forefront of this development and contribute to the development of new technologies and practices that will help to address these challenges.
An obvious question, that comes to mind is the distinction between my motto/specialization and other disciplines. Most disciplines are either focused on the development of new technologies (e.g., computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, …) or the study of plants and crops (e.g., plant science, agronomy, horticulture, …). Compared to inter-disciplinary fields, such as biosystems engineering or bioinformatics, I am more focused on the practical application of technology and the integration of existing technologies into the field of agriculture. The wheel does not have to be reinvented, but rather adapted and applied.
I hope I was able to describe concisely, what I mean with the intersection of plants and technology. If you have any further questions or would like to cooperate with me, please do not hesitate to contact me via the Contact Me page.