Plasma power: Turkish teens invent new device to combat crop failure

Stock image of plants watered with modern irrigation system on cultivated land.

A team of five high school students from Türkiye, known as Team Ceres, has developed an innovative plasma-powered device called Plantzma to combat the devastating effects of drought on crops.

The team, consisting of Diyar, Adar, Dilvin, Mir Baran, and Beyza, was motivated by their personal experiences. They witnessed the destructive impact of a drought in their region.

“My community is my inspiration,” says 17-year-old Beyza.

For context, their “region” has recently experienced a 40% decline in precipitation rates. Rising pollution has just aggravated the situation, leading to an 80% crop loss and a food shortage.

Growing concerns

This crisis disproportionately affected vulnerable communities, prompting Team Ceres to develop a scalable solution to address both the local and global food scarcity challenges.

“In Türkiye, we are living the effects of climate change. This region was Mesopotamia, where agriculture and civilization was born, but now people are struggling with climate change and drought,” she added.

Notably, the issue of crop failures is a burning issue across the globe. The World Economic Forum predicts a sharp rise in global crop failures. By 2030, crop failures can be 4.5 times higher than current rates. By 2050, this could increase to 25 times higher.

Plantzma’s innovative solution

The Plantzma device utilizes low-temperature plasma to enhance crop resilience and enrich irrigation water. “It can be used by just clicking two or three buttons,” explained Beyza.

By exposing seeds to plasma before cultivation, the device improves germination rates and growth potential while also increasing resistance to diseases and environmental stressors.

Additionally, treating irrigation water with plasma creates an environmentally friendly, nitrogen-enriched fertilizer that provides essential nutrients for plant growth.

“Since we are not able to change the climate – the problem itself – we are trying to solve the effects of it,” expressed 18-year-old Diyar.

Plasma, often referred to as the fourth state of matter, “is essentially supercharged ionized air.” Its superheated particles have immense energy, enabling it to easily conduct electricity. While rare on Earth, plasma is abundant in space and can be created using a gas, a discharge system with electrodes, and a voltage system.

The Plantzma device utilizes the power of low-temperature plasma in two ways: direct treatment of seeds and indirect treatment of irrigation water. This innovative approach reduces reliance on chemical fertilizers, enhances crop yields, and promotes sustainable agriculture practices.

Recognition and future goals

The team’s inspiration for using plasma technology stemmed from Beyza’s interest in exoplanets and NASA‘s research on plasma applications.

The Plantzma device, priced at $191, is designed to be affordable and user-friendly, making it accessible to farmers in rural communities with limited access to modern technologies.

“So when we interviewed farmers, they were happy to hear about this product,” she expressed.

Such is the significance of Team Ceres’ innovation that they registered their Plantzma solution into The Earth Prize, a global environmental sustainability competition for students, and were named runners-up.

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