Smart farming: AI predicts potato growth potential, marking the beginning of ‘a new era in farming’
A cutting-edge AI tool can now predict how well seed potatoes will grow into healthy potato plants.
Developed by biologists from Utrecht University in collaboration with TU Delft and plant breeders, the tool uses DNA data from bacteria and fungi found on seed potatoes and drone images of potato fields.
“This marks the beginning of a new era in farming, where microbiology and AI come together to enhance agriculture,” the university says in a news story.
Even though potato fields are filled with plants of the same variety, potato growth often varies widely. This puzzle has long intrigued farmers, biologists, and suppliers of seeds. Even genetically identical potato plants can differ significantly in size, yield, and resilience.
Scientists have suspected that bacteria and fungi on the surface of seed potatoes might play a key role in these differences. These microbes can either boost growth and resilience or hinder them.
Now, a research team led by biologist Roeland Berendsen has confirmed that microbes are indeed crucial for growth. Their findings, published in Nature Microbiology, reveal how these tiny organisms impact potato farming.
Fuente: potatonewstoday.com
