The technology has reached a key turning point in its path toward commercialisation, with the Soil CRC formally assigning the intellectual property to the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) at the University of Tasmania.
The handover includes the full intellectual property for the device, positioning the institute to lead further engineering, testing and industry engagement.The e‑nose offers a faster, easier and more affordable way to understand how soil biology is functioning at a biological level.
The technology is designed to measure biological activity directly in the soil, giving farmers and researchers a way to monitor soil function without relying on laboratory testing.
Users place the device in the soil for several days, after which it provides timely insights into how biological processes are responding to management changes, inputs or environmental conditions.
“It’s still an emerging area for a lot of growers but I feel as the technology develops it will inform our understanding of soil biology and that will help on-farm management,” said Tayla Field, Regional Development Officer for VegNET Tasmania
The approach aims to make soil biology assessment faster, more affordable and more accessible to growers who have traditionally lacked simple diagnostic tools.
“With the help of the TIA team and a strong commercial partner, we anticipate that the device will soon make the leap from a research setting into working farms,” said Soil CRC CEO Dr Michael Crawford.
Next steps toward deployment
Professor Caroline Mohammed, head of the Agricultural Systems Centre at TIA said a business plan has been developed to guide the continued development and future commercialisation of the device.
“Engineering and research support has been provided by the TIA AgTech Innovation Studio team, while UTAS InVent, the University’s research commercialisation arm, is working with the research team to progress pathways for translation and industry engagement
“Ultimately, we want to put the user-friendly device in the hands of farmers so that they can use it to monitor different areas on their farms and better understand how management practices and inputs influence soil function.”
The Soil CRC has supported development of the QUOLL e‑nose since 2018 through two research projects.
Under the leadership of Dr Shane Powell, the team initially co‑designed a prototype with grower groups and tested it on a single farm to demonstrate proof of concept.
“The device is now at Technology Readiness Level 5, which means we have already validated the prototype in a relevant environment. Further engineering, calibration and broader field validation are underway, and we are looking for partners to join us on this next phase of commercialisation.”
Powell added that there was already strong interest in the technology, especially from companies producing inoculants and other soil amendments, as well as researchers and farmers.
“Farmers, particularly in regenerative systems, are also keen to understand how their management practices are influencing soil biology over time.”
Beyond its core functions, TIA is also exploring whether the e‑nose could also help monitor carbon cycling in soil.
This work, funded by the Tasmanian Government’s Agricultural Development Fund, may expand the device’s role in supporting carbon market participation and emissions reporting.
