AI Analyzes Microbes and Drone Data to Boost Potato Crop Yields
A state-of-the-art AI technique can now predict the likelihood that seed potatoes will develop into robust potato plants. Utilizing DNA information from bacteria and fungi present on seed potatoes as well as drone photos of potato fields, the technology was created by Utrecht University biologists in partnership with the Delft University of Technology and plant breeders.
“This marks the beginning of a new era in farming, where microbiology and AI come together to enhance agriculture,” the experts mentioned.
Potato growth frequently varies greatly, despite the fact that potato fields are populated with plants of the same kind. Farmers, biologists, and seed providers have long been fascinated by this conundrum. Size, productivity, and resilience can vary greatly even among genetically identical potato plants.
Researchers have hypothesized that bacteria and fungi on the surface of seed potatoes may significantly influence these variations. These microorganisms can either promote or inhibit resilience and growth.
The importance of bacteria for growth has now been verified by a study team headed by biologist Roeland Berendsen. The influence of these microscopic organisms on potato cultivation is revealed by their research, which was featured recently in the journal Nature Microbiology.
AI Predicts Potato Growth
The group created an AI algorithm that forecasts the growth potential of seed potatoes. Drone photos of the potato plants that grew from the seed potatoes and genetic information from bacteria that lived on the seed potatoes are combined in the model. The AI algorithm finds trends by combining these two data sources, which aids in determining which bacteria promote the healthiest potato growth.
Thousands of seed potato samples were collected from 240 test fields by the researchers in order to collect their findings. They took drone footage of the emerging plants during the growing season after studying the bacteria and fungi in the potato seedlings.
“This created a massive amount of data. By combining these data points using AI, we could pinpoint the microbes that are the best predictors of potato growth,” biologist Yang Song, one of the developers of the AI model, and first author of the paper, mentioned.
Microbes With Big Impacts
According to the study, the combination of fungi and bacteria on seed potatoes significantly affects growth. It was discovered that certain bacteria, such as a Streptomyces species, greatly increased growth. Others, on the other hand, slowed down the growth of plants.
“We’re at the start of a revolutionary way to improve agriculture through microbiology and AI. For the first time, we can predict the quality of seed potatoes based on their microbial makeup,” Berendsen declared.
This research opens the door to a deeper understanding of how microbes influence crop growth.
“By expanding the AI model with even more data, we can zoom in further to study how microbes and crops interact,” Berendsen explained.
In the future, scientists might identify the perfect mix of microbes for specific crops—not just potatoes.
“We could coat seed potatoes or seeds with these beneficial microbes. Or even engineer plants to attract and retain the ideal microbes,” Berendsen also mentioned.
The benefits of this breakthrough go beyond higher yields. Healthier and more resilient crops mean fewer failed harvests, reduced waste, and less need for chemical pesticides. This makes farming more sustainable while boosting productivity.
