For the first time in human history, crop growers around the world do not have to worry about their level of knowledge: they can now grow anything, as sensors widely used in smart farms regularly collect weather, soil and plant data, compare them with harvesting scenarios and give specific advice to growers. Typically, modern farms can predict the biotechnological and abiotic stress of plants, its dynamically changing relationship with the microbes surrounding it, and the state of plant health. This has become possible thanks to advances in machine learning, computer vision and phytology, which are actively used by modern vertical farms.
Developers of smart farm solutions, along with the biological control of pesticides, microbes, etc., are often involved in other complex disease control strategies - in particular seed preparation to reduce the risk of plant diseases.
Key benefits of smart farms:
- Accurate forecast. Data models allow better estimation of yields, which, among other things, reduces costs and waste at all stages of production.
- Increased yields by tracking accurate nutrient levels, water levels, temperature and humidity. This increase in efficiency allows small greenhouses to vastly outperform field farms.
- Faster growing cycles, for example, by reducing the "breeding" step.