How is Crop Research Advancing?

A growing global population coupled with climate change concerns and soil quality challenges has made crop research a top priority for the farming industry. Agricultural scientists are continually on the search for new ways to improve productivity and increase yields, without affecting the quality of the final product. Below, we spotlight some of the latest breakthroughs in crop research and how they’re contributing to a healthier and more robust industry.

Leveraging the power of machine learning algorithms

One of the major challenges of agricultural research is tailoring solutions to match individual crop types and growing conditions. “Results from current traditional research approaches are difficult to extrapolate to all possible fields because they are dependent on specific soil types, weather conditions, and background management combinations that are not applicable nor translatable to all farms,” read the abstract from a recent article exploring the use of machine learning algorithms for agricultural research.

Unlocking “hidden yield potential”

By combining years of data collected from hundreds of locations across the country, the team hope to build a national database and use machine learning algorithms to analyse data and extract useful information.

“We argue that our algorithms can advance agricultural research and aid in revealing a currently hidden yield potential in each individual farm across the US,” reads the conclusion. The technology is being used to boost yields from soybean and corn crops across the United States, with the goal to “accelerate agricultural research, identify sustainable practices, and help overcome future food demands”.

The role of government funding

Government funding plays an important role in supporting crop research and helping agricultural scientists address current issues. For example, the United States government recently issued US$6 million in funding to invest a coffee leaf rust disease currently plaguing growers in Hawaii. As well as helping farmers in the US, the research is expected to assist the global coffee growing market as a whole.  

“Race typing, in particular, is essential for optimally deploying rust-resistant varieties in the field. Incredibly, scientists still don’t know the mechanism that confers rust resistance to resistant varietals,” says non-profit research and development group, World Coffee Research. “Understanding this could dramatically change prospects for breeding new resistant varieties in the future.”

Developing climate-resistant crops

In Europe, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) exists to “strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions.” Find out more about how the group is working with researchers at University College Dublin to develop healthier and more climate-resistant crops in ‘EU Funding Supports Development of Healthy Oat Crops’.