AI App for Potato Blight to Support Farmers
Researchers in Wales are developing an AI app for potato blight to combat the devastating fungal disease. Potato blight causes £3.5bn in global losses each year. This innovative tool will detect infections before they become visible. It will help farmers reduce crop damage, boost productivity, and cut harmful pesticide use.
How the AI App for Potato Blight Technology Works
The DeepDetect project uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide accurate, location-based diagnoses. Farmers can upload smartphone images of potato leaves to the app. It will then analyze the images to identify early signs of late blight. Detecting infections early allows farmers to prevent widespread damage.
“By integrating farmer feedback from the beginning, we aim to build a tool that solves real agricultural challenges,” explained Edore Akpokodje, a computer science lecturer at Aberystwyth University.
Reducing Environmental Impact
Preventive pesticide spraying costs Welsh farmers around £5.27m each year. With precise and early interventions, the AI app could lower these costs and cut chemical use. Potatoes are among the world’s most vital staple crops.Farmers in Wales grow potatoes on over 17,000 hectares of land.
Future Plans for the AI App
The research team is developing a prototype using extensive image datasets of healthy and infected potato plants. Once refined, this technology could form the basis of a national early warning system. It also has potential applications for other crops and regions worldwide.
Aiswarya Girija from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University said, “Potato blight isn’t just an agricultural issue—it’s a global food security challenge.” “With AI, we can protect yields and ensure sustainable food production.”
