Revolutionizing Plant Growth Analysis with AI Technology: RhizoNet by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

The future of food security and sustainability may lie in a new artificial intelligence technology called RhizoNet. Developed by scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, this tool analyzes roots to track plant growth and biomass, offering insights into crop quality and yields. With the increasing challenges posed by climate change, such as extreme weather events and rising temperatures, this technology could revolutionize plant engineering and help create more resilient crops.

One example of the potential impact of this technology is Bayer’s “short corn,” which can withstand strong winds and be planted more densely to increase yields. Researchers from England and Vietnam are also working on making rice more salt-resistant to combat seawater intrusion. RhizoNet’s deep-learning backbone and convolutional neural network outperformed manual methods, showing promise for similar breakthroughs in plant technology.

The researchers behind RhizoNet hope that their study will not only lead to advancements in sustainable energy solutions but also pave the way for automated laboratories. By reducing the manual work involved in analyzing plant cultivation data, this technology increases efficiency and moves us closer to the goal of self-driving labs. Stay updated on the latest innovations in clean tech and sustainability by joining our free newsletter.