A technological breakthrough is transforming agriculture: a new artificial intelligence (AI) system developed by the National Robotarium, in collaboration with scientists from Chile and Spain, allows farmers to predict crop yields months in advance. This innovation promises to make crop production more efficient, sustainable, and profitable.

The AI system uses images taken with a standard smartphone to accurately estimate the number of blossoms on a fruit tree by recognizing patterns and features, such as petal edges and shapes, even when they overlap or are partially obscured. Already tested in peach orchards in Catalonia, Spain, the system produced a blossom count with 90% accuracy, significantly outperforming traditional manual methods, which have an error rate of 30-50%.

The National Robotarium explained that this system can provide yield forecasts up to six months before harvest, helping growers optimize water use, allocate human and financial resources more efficiently, and better plan harvest and distribution logistics. Researchers will validate the AI predictions against the actual peach harvest in September 2024 and believe that, if effective, the approach could be adapted to other crops such as apples, pears, and cherries, benefiting fruit growers worldwide.

Dr. Fernando Auat Cheein, associate professor of robotics and autonomous systems at the National Robotarium, highlighted the seamless integration of AI with traditional farming practices. "By leveraging the power of AI and the convenience of readily available technology, such as smartphones, our approach integrates perfectly with traditional farming practices," he stated. This project, developed in collaboration with the Advanced Center for Electrical and Electronic Engineering (AC3E) at Federico Santa María Technical University and Andrés Bello University in Chile, is poised to revolutionize agriculture globally.

Source: portalfruticola.com