Portable Crop Nutrient Testing: Picketa Systems Raises $1.5M for Real-Time Agritech

Traditional crop nutrient testing is often a slow and expensive process, requiring agronomists and farmers to send leaf samples to a laboratory and wait days for the results. By the time the analysis returns, the optimal window for applying fertilizer or correcting a deficiency may have already passed. As a result, many European farmers rely on visual inspections or broad, outdated regional recommendations that can lead to either under-fertilizing or costly over-application of inputs.

Canadian agritech startup Picketa Systems aims to change this dynamic with its portable LENS (Leaf Evaluated Nutrient System) technology, having recently secured $1.5 million in funding to expand its reach. The device uses optical sensors to measure how a leaf reflects light, while machine learning translates that data into precise concentration estimates for 13 key nutrients. Agronomists can take hundreds of samples across a field and access the results within minutes through the accompanying Fieldbook software.

The system has been validated for potatoes, corn, and canola, with expansion underway for soybeans and wheat. The technology allows growers to test nutrient levels before and after a fertilizer application, giving them immediate feedback on its effectiveness. According to the company, utilizing this real-time data can help reduce fertilizer costs by up to 20% while simultaneously boosting yields by ensuring the right nutrients are applied exactly where they are needed.

Currently priced at $10,000 annually for the hardware, software, and unlimited sampling, the platform is gaining traction in North America. While this price point targets large-scale operations and agricultural advisory services, the advancement signals a broader industry shift toward real-time, data-driven crop management. The ultimate vision is to eventually integrate such sensing technologies with autonomous machinery, fully automating the fertilizer application loop based on immediate crop needs.

Context for farmers: As European agriculture faces strict regulations on nutrient runoff and fluctuating fertilizer prices, adopting real-time testing could become a crucial strategy for compliance and profitability. While this specific tool is currently scaling in North America, the shift towards instant, field-level data over delayed lab results represents the immediate future of precision agronomy.

— agronom.work editorial team