Moscow-Pullman Daily News
https://www.dnews.com/local-news/ui-awarded-6m-grant-for-ai-agriculture-research-6163497a
MOSCOW — The National Science Foundation awarded the University of Idaho $6 million to use artificial intelligence to breed higher-yielding cereal crops.
“The research aims to reduce harvest losses that disrupt the global food supply and cost farmers billions of dollars each year,” the UI said in a statement.
The UI is partnering with Clemson University and University of Nebraska Medical Center on the four-year project.
The UI plans to use data and AI models to identify genes in crops that make them stronger and more resistant to breaking before harvest.
Daniel Robertson, UI associate professor of mechanical engineering, will work with graduate students to design sensing technologies that can be integrated into commercial combines. These sensors will collect data that measure the physical characteristics of plants. This data will train AI models on the DNA sequences of plants.
The NSF award begins in August and will support research through 2030.