The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Agriculture
In today’s technological world, artificial intelligence (AI) is a leading tool utilized by various industries to enhance operations and boost productivity. Among these industries, agriculture has begun leveraging AI to achieve tangible results. Agricultural seed companies are using this technology to identify the best vegetable varieties from thousands of available options, aiding farmers in diverse markets working under different environmental conditions.
Traditional Challenges in Seed Selection
Choosing seeds is not solely about production quantity; farmers seek varieties that align with local climate patterns and specific growth conditions. Traditional methods of selecting varieties involve numerous manual processes such as testing and comparing different varieties, conducting field trials, gathering extensive data, and obtaining farmers’ opinions. However, seed companies have started incorporating AI techniques to complement traditional methods, saving time and resources between selecting a variety and its initial planting.
Collaboration Between AI and Agriculture Leaders
Syngenta Seeds and Heritable Agriculture are leading companies in adopting AI in this sector. These two companies collaborate to enhance commercial crop portfolios. Heritable, a new company originating from Alphabet’s innovation lab (Google’s parent company), is developing AI tools for agricultural data analysis. The companies work together to create software systems that can recommend which plant seed varieties to offer to farmers and where to do so.
Predicting the Best Varieties Using AI
Utilizing AI tools with Syngenta’s global product portfolio, Heritable relies on agricultural experiments and available data on local geographical conditions to predict the best commercial seed varieties that can perform well in different regions. The goal is to predict the success of plant seed varieties for farmers worldwide, with precision reaching approximately 10 meters by 10 meters.
The Importance of AI in Agriculture
Matthew Johnston, head of the vegetable and flower seeds division at Syngenta, stated that AI holds significant potential in agriculture. “Planting the right seeds is crucial for a farm’s success. New technologies like AI can help us bring the best innovations to fields or greenhouses.”
Syngenta has already begun using AI in its operations, in areas such as the development of biological materials and fertilizers. Recently, the company added an intelligent chatbot called ‘Cropwise AI’ to its digital platform Cropwise to assist farmers in making informed decisions about crop options through data analysis.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the goal is to improve food security and ensure that farmers worldwide can produce food that is affordable, resilient, and reliable. This is particularly important given the changing and increasingly unstable climate conditions. With AI, we can look forward to a more sustainable and innovative agricultural future.