GrainsWest Tech 2020

Tech 2020 Grains West 12 THE FARMGATE CROP BREEDERS TEST THOUSANDS of plant lines every year in small, indi- vidual test plots. Assessing these plants involves both quantitative and qualita- tive analysis, but new software aims to substantially refine the process. PlotVision is a new software service that collects data using unmanned aerial imagery (UAI) captured by drones. The data may help researchers predict harvest yield and assess disease resistance, accelerate the plant breeding process and the production of new crop varieties. The PlotVision software was devel- oped through the Plant Phenotyping and Imaging Research Centre (P2IRC), which is run by the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) on behalf of the Universi- ty of Saskatchewan (USask). The software translates the work of the P2IRC program into a practical format that can be used by plant breeders. The P2IRC program benefits from the technical expertise and infrastructure available at USask, and this includes its Crop Development Centre. Engineers work with computer scientists, who work with researchers in the university’s Col- lege of Agriculture and Bioresources. This infrastructure facilitates the development of new varieties through to commercial availability. The PlotVision project was created in 2019 to examine the physical character- istics of plants to see how they perform under certain conditions. It has been a collaborative effort between plant breed- ers and computer scientists. “The program is a community effort,” said Chris Barker, director of research and business development for P2IRC and GIFS. “While it is managed by the GIFS, there is great work being done through- out the university, as well as with Agri- culture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and with our other partners. It truly has been a multidisciplinary effort.” “The ultimate goal of PlotVision is to do more on the computer and less in the field to support the plant breeder with making better decisions faster,” said Barker. “It’s not supposed to replace the role of the plant breeder, but is rather intended to combine with traditional on-ground data collection. It can provide additional quan- titative data to aid breeders’ decision-mak- ing, which will then allow them to focus on other areas of seed development.” The software was developed by P2IRC research associate William van der Kamp, under the leadership of USask computer scientist Ian Stavness. A drone takes images over a test plot and the software uses artificial intelligence (AI) to con- vert the image into useful information for breeders. PlotVision has been used to analyze leaf and flower colour to gauge maturity, and uses the 3D shape to assess crop architecture and canopy volume. Understanding these characteristics assists in predicting crop outcomes. Researchers can use this information to identify promising crop lines as well as best management practices. Among the AI tools used by PlotVi- sion are semantic segmentation neural networks. These digital systems are able to identify which pixels in an image represent various objects, such as soil and plants. Establishing which pixels in an im- age represent soil, it can then be eliminat- ed from the analysis. PlotVision also uses other types of AI technology. Clearedfor takeoff High-flying software helps breeders create new crop varieties PlotVision software translates drone imagery into data plant breeders can utilize in variety development. Photo:CourtesyofGlobal Institute forFoodSecurity