Purdue University researchers, Katy Rainey and Keith Cherkauer, are expanding their drone imagery analysis for soybean biomass prediction from Indiana to all public soybean breeding programs in the north-central region of the United States.
Through the SOYGEN3 project, the team will receive drone imagery data on a panel of 1,200 soybean varieties planted across 11 states. With funding exceeding $900,000 from the North Central Soybean Research Program, the project aims to develop methods and models for selecting soybeans that thrive in future extreme environments caused by climate change.
To achieve this, the researchers are utilizing their software, Plot Phenix, to convert aerial crop photographs into valuable information for plant breeding, crop modeling, and precision agriculture. The software was patented in 2022 by Rainey, Cherkauer, and Purdue PhD alumnus Anthony Hearst, CEO of Progeny Drone Inc.
By analyzing drone imagery from diverse locations, encompassing different genetic stocks and varying environmental conditions, the researchers aim to expand their analysis beyond the current capabilities. The project benefits from a new drone provided by GRYFN, a Purdue-affiliated company, with calibration flights already underway at Purdue's Agronomy Center for Research and Education.
The collaboration's drones will collect imagery using red, green, and blue (RGB) cameras, while Purdue's drone will also carry multispectral and thermal cameras, enabling comprehensive data acquisition for improved recommendations. Such insights are crucial to maintaining the United States' position as the world's leading soybean producer, with revenues exceeding $66 billion in 2022, including significant export contributions.
Rainey emphasizes soybean's role in future protein food security, where 95% of global soybean production is used for animal feed. To support soybean production, a refined understanding of weather, climate, and genetic variation is necessary. The data produced will aid breeders in implementing genomic prediction models calibrated to diverse environments and encompassing biomass predictions based on drone imagery and genetics.
Photo Credit: pexels-Flo dnd
Categories: Indiana, Crops, Soybeans, Education, Weather