The survey asks if producers would be interested in using AI to detect crop pressures
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A researcher is looking for farmers in Western Canada to participate in a survey.
Elnur Abasli, a student from Lankaran State University in Azerbaijan, is conducting small-scale research for a coursework project.
“The project is a hypothetical solution for farmers to use in the fields to diagnose plant diseases for pests using AI,” he told Farms.com in an email. “I am tasked with gathering validation data from actual farmers to see if they would be interested in such a solution.”
The survey has eight questions.
It asks respondents, for example, how they currently diagnose plant diseases and pests, if they’d be interested in using an app to diagnose plant diseases and if they’re willing to pay a subscription fee for a reliable diagnostic tool.
Abasli committed to sharing his findings with Farms.com upon completion.
Some work is already being done in ag with AI and detecting plant diseases.
In 2023, for example, Protein Industries Canada, Ukko Agro, Hawk’s Agro and Three Farmers announced a collaboration using AI to enhance lentil crop health.
The project’s primary goal is to create an in-field platform using AI to predict and control anthracnose and Assochyta blight.
And in 2020, researchers in the U.S. started using AI to help detect powdery mildew in squash.
Scientists attached a sensing system to drones to collect spectral data of powdery mildew on squash in Florida.
The system showed researchers the disease almost 90 per cent of the time.
If you would like to help this young ag student with his research, complete the survey here.