Plant monitoring apparatus, plant monitoring method, and computer-readable recording medium

A plant monitoring apparatus comprising:

• at least one memory configured to stores one or more instructions;
• and
• at least one processor configured to executes the one or more instructions to:
• estimate a state of soil by, with use of frequency association information calculated based on vibration measured via the soil, referencing soil state estimation information in which the frequency association information and information indicating states of the soil are associated with soil states, the soil states being a combination of soil root quantity, soil hardness, soil moisture content, and soil composition;
• and
• estimate and output an indication of a state of a plant by, with use of growth association information that was calculated based on vibration of the plant and indicates growth of the plant, referencing plant state estimation information in which the growth association information and information indicating states of the plant above a plant soil surface are associated with plant states above the plant soil surface,
• wherein estimating the state of the soil comprises controlling emission and reception of the vibration into and from the soil, and
• wherein, when the growth association information is determined to meet a predetermined condition, the indication further comprises an instruction to plow the soil.

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium that includes a program recorded thereon, the program including instructions that causes a computer to carry out:

• (a) a step of estimating a state of soil by, with use of frequency association information calculated based on vibration measured via the soil, referencing soil state estimation information in which the frequency association information and information indicating states of the soil are associated with soil states, the soil states being a combination of soil root quantity, soil hardness, soil moisture content, and soil composition;
• and
• (b) a step of estimating and outputting an indication of a state of a plant by, with use of growth association information that was calculated based on vibration of the plant and indicates growth of the plant, referencing plant state estimation information in which the growth association information and information indicating states of the plant above a plant soil surface are associated with plant states above the plant soil surface,
• wherein estimating the state of the soil comprises controlling emission and reception of the vibration into and from the soil, and
• wherein, when the growth association information is determined to meet a predetermined condition, the indication further comprises an instruction to plow the soil.