The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia have developed an innovative pest control method using AI and drones to help farmers fight the brown marmorated stink bug, a major pest in North American and southern European orchards.
In 2019, the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) cost Italy $640 million (588 million euros). Pheromone traps, visual sampling, and sweep-netting are laborious and difficult for vast orchards.
Lara Maistrello, a Life Sciences associate professor, led the study team to improve efficiency. According to Interesting Engineering, they created an automated flight procedure that allows drones to take high-resolution photographs of pear orchards from 26 feet (eight meters), which is less disruptive to pests than humans.
Research discovered that drones caused adult stink bugs to stop, allowing cameras to take crisper photos. AI algorithms trained on these photos identified pest infestations with 97% accuracy, substantially higher than models taught from scratch. This strategy can improve integrated pest management by providing precise, environmental-adaptive forecasting, according to the researchers.
Some farms employ AI to sort potatoes by identifying faults, while others use AI-enhanced cultivators to plant seeds and eliminate weeds, replacing hundreds of hours of labor.
"Precision agriculture" uses AI to conserve resources and increase agricultural yields. Drones can precisely measure water and pesticide levels in fields.
Global agriculture giants such as John Deere, a manufacturer of tractors and agricultural equipment in Illinois, are implementing these innovations.
Sarah Schinckel, John Deere's Intelligent Solutions Group director of new technologies, they want to "help farmers do their jobs better" through AI, which is already transforming the Agriculture sector.
"We expect more farmers to use this technology," she said.
More Efficient, Safer Farming
Plant diseases and pests jeopardize farmer livelihoods and global food security, costing $290 billion annually. Traditional chemical treatments are failing, thus pushing AI-driven remedies, according to The Conversation.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations claims that plant diseases and pests harm 40% of worldwide food output, producing major financial losses. Farmers have used chemical sprays to suppress outbreaks, but misuse has caused health problems, environmental harm, and disease resistance.
Farmers can better focus on chemical applications using apps like Tumaini and farm management systems. Increased precision reduces pesticide usage, resistance, and environmental damage.
AI is Transforming Agriculture
Aside from farm usage, AI is also now being utilized to help farmers in their investments and crop choices, complicated by market instability and price fluctuations.
Real-time pricing analysis and long-term market data are available via Agtools, Agremo, and GeoPard. The BBC reported that these AI-powered tools help farmers adapt to market shifts and plan ahead, improving their economic resilience and ability to invest in new technology.
The agriculture business is under pressure to address manpower shortages and climate change. Hotter climate may cause food shortages sooner than planned due to unpredictable weather patterns that lower agricultural output.
Patrick Schnable, distinguished professor and Plant Sciences Institute head at Iowa State University, noted that projections indicate climate change caused significant losses in crop yields caused and warned that if corn yields drop 10% or 20%, it would be "catastrophic."
"The important question is whether AI can boost agricultural resilience," he said.
