Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) seem to have a technological solution to this problem. Led by Prof Maryam Shojaei Baghini, researchers from IIT Bombay and Gauhati University, have designed a robust, accurate and affordable soil moisture sensor using graphene oxide.
Researchers at IIT Guwahati have discovered that while drought shrinks the vertical water channels in plants, it triggers a structural adaptation that boosts the efficiency of sideways water transport, ensuring survival in dry conditions.