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Drought stress, or infection, can seriously damage crops. Large scale food producers use satellite images and other expensive technologies to detect signs early. However, new research from the UK could help farmers in the developing world. A lack of water or other damage can affect pigmentation in plant leaves - as photosynthesis winds down and the plant’s metabolism changes, so does the colour of the leaf. In the early stages these changes cannot be seen by the human eye; however, they can be seen on a photo taken by a mobile phone. Roland Pease. (Image caption: Hyperspectral imaging of plant leaves can reveal problems a simple look will miss © Bruce Grieve, University of Manchester)