This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications in agriculture.
The first chapter reviews developments in the use of AI techniques to improve the functionality of decision support systems in agriculture. It reviews the use of techniques such as data mining, artificial neural networks, Bayesian networks, support vector machines and association rule mining.
The second chapter examines how robotic and AI can be used to improve precision irrigation in vineyards. The chapter pays particular attention to robot-assisted precision irrigation delivery (RAPID), a novel system currently being developed and tested at the University of California in the United States.
The third chapter reviews the current state of mechanized collection technology, such as the development of harvest-assist platforms, as well as the possibilities of these machines to incorporate artificial vision systems to perform an in-field pre-grading of the product.
The final chapter explores the emergence of the automated assessment of plant diseases and traits through new sensor systems, AI and robotics. The chapter then considers the application of these digital technologies in plant breeding, focussing on smart farming and plant phenotyping.
Chapter 1 - Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) for more effective decision making in agriculture: L. J. Armstrong, Edith Cowan University, Australia; N. Gandhi, University of Mumbai, India; P. Taechatanasat, Edith Cowan University, Australia; and D. A. Diepeveen, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Australia; 1 Introduction2 Agricultural DSS using AI technologies: an overview3 Data and image acquisition4 Core AI technologies5 Case study 1: AgData DSS tool for Western Australian broad acrecropping6 Case study 2: GeoSense7 Case study 3: Rice-based DSS8 Summary and future trends9 Where to look for further information10 References Chapter 2 - The use of intelligent/autonomous systems in crop irrigation: Stefano Carpin, University of California-Merced, USA; Ken Goldberg, University of California- Berkeley, USA; Stavros Vougioukas, University of California-Davis, USA; Ron Berenstein, University of California-Berkeley, USA; and Josh Viers, University of California-Merced, USA; 1 Introduction2 Related work3 Overview of RAPID4 Preliminary results5 Future trends and conclusion6 Acknowledgements7 Where to look for further information8 References Chapter 3 - Advances in automated in-field grading of harvested crops: Jose Blasco, María Gyomar González González, Patricia Chueca and Sergio Cubero, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Spain; and Nuria Aleixos, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain; 1 Introduction2 Advantages of in-field sorting3 Harvest-assist platforms4 Case study: in-field pre-sorting of citrus5 Summary6 Future trends in research7 Where to look for further information8 References Chapter 4 - Automated assessment of plant diseases and traits by sensors: how can digital technologies support smart farming and plant breeding?: Anne-Katrin Mahlein, Institute of Sugar Beet Research, Germany; Jan Behmann, Bayer Crop Science, Germany; David Bohnenkamp, BASF Digital Farming GmbH, Germany; René H. J. Heim, UAV Research Centre (URC), Ghent University, Belgium; and Sebastian Streit and Stefan Paulus, Institute of Sugar Beet Research, Germany; 1 Introduction2 Digital plant disease detection3 Complexity of host–pathogen interactions4 Complexity in a crop stand5 Case study: application of deep learning to foliar plant diseases6 Summary7 Future trends in research8 Where to look for further information9 Acknowledgement10 References
Dr Leisa Armstrong is Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and leader of the eAgriculture Research Group at Edith Cowan University, Australia. Dr Armstrong is President of the Australian Society of ICT in Agriculture as well as past President of the Asian Federation of Information Technologies in Agriculture (AFITA). She has an international reputation for her research on the use of ICT in agriculture in such areas as agricultural information and decision support systems.
