Patent ID: 8289035

Claim:
A method for measuring ion population within a plant comprising the steps of: (a) placing a first surface and a second surface within said plant, (b) placing a third surface in the root environment of said plant, (c) connecting a first wire to said first surface, connecting a second wire to said second surface, connecting a third wire to said third surface, (d) measuring electrical capacitance between said first wire and said third wire wherein said electrical capacitance is proportional to the wetted surface area of said first surface, (e) impressing a first sequence of potential values between said first wire and said second wire, (f) measuring a sequence of charge values passing through said first wire for each step of said first sequence, (g) forming the ratio of a value in said sequence of charge values to said electrical capacitance whereby said ratio is a measure of said ion population in said plant which is adjusted for the surface area across which net charge transfer occurs.