GrainsWest Tech 2020

Tech 2020 grainswest.com 13 “Images represent data, and PlotVision serves as a tool to translate large collections of plant data in order to get very specific information for breeders.” —Williamvan der Kamp BY JENNIFER BARBER With enough training, these software components learn to count individual plants as well as identify leaves and dead plant matter. Importantly, the system identifies material at a much smaller scale than satellite imagery and produces very refined results. “Images represent data, and PlotVision serves as a tool to trans- late large collections of plant data in order to get very specific information for breeders,” said van der Kamp. “The images on their own are of little value, but this tool helps us to build more and more analytics around them for breeders to use in their test plots. For example, breeders may count 60 to 75 seedlings from an image of a small, early stage canola plant. But using an algo- rithm through PlotVision, they can build on those numbers and automatically perform many more seedling counts to get much more statistically relevant information.” Currently, very large numbers of field plots must be manually assessed over an approximately seven-year cycle to develop each new commercial variety. PlotVision will help make this process more efficient, and will improve the quality of the assessments. The analysis is automated and data-driven, eliminating the poten- tial for human error, while reducing costs and turnaround time for analysis. The software was initially used to test canola, lentils and wheat, as these are key rotational crops in Saskatchewan. Van der Kamp said once the AI and the analytics component of the system have been fully tested the system should also be applica- ble to additional crops. PlotVision is a natural fit with the P2IRC program’s plant breeding focus, as the tool in turn focuses on the individual plant lines in breeders’ structured field designs, explained van der Kamp. “Working through P2IRC’s plant breeding program to develop this technology made practical sense because testing areas in the program incorporate many plant lines in replicated plots with known genotypes, all in a relatively small area, said van der Kamp. “The images and resulting data we derive through PlotVision provide very robust information to help breeders make important decisions.” For the 2020 growing season, project participants planned to work with local breeding programs at USask and with AAFC to further expand the capabilities of the software, including what it is able to identify and how its data can be utilized. “Though the size of the field program was impacted by the COVID-19 pandem- ic, PlotVision’s many features continue to be validated, providing valuable information to our breeding partners and great benefit to farmers and the agriculture industry,” said Barker. In 2021, PlotVision will be made available for use beyond P2IRC, and will eventually be offered on a fee-for-service basis through the GIFS-managed Omics and Precision Agriculture Laboratory. The PlotVision system utilizes drones to photograph test plots. It translates large collections of data into a format plant breeders can use. Photo:CourtesyofGlobal Institute forFoodSecurity