AI Supports Smarter Crop Management

Apr 13, 2026
By Farms.com

AI Tools Boost Farming Decisions With Real Time Data Insights

A recent agricultural competition has demonstrated how artificial intelligence (AI) can support better farming decisions when combined with human knowledge. Nipuna Chamara, assistant professor in biological systems engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, successfully used AI to win a category in the 2025 Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) competition.

The TAPS program is a real-world contest where participants manage corn and soybean crops over an entire growing season. Competitors make important decisions such as irrigation, fertilization, pest control, and marketing. The competition evaluates performance based on yield, profitability, and efficient use of inputs.

Chamara began participating in 2024 with support from experts in agronomy and agricultural economics. During his first attempt, AI tools required manual data input, including soil conditions, weather, and crop details. The results were moderate, with his team placing seventh in yield.

In 2025, improvements in AI made a significant difference. The system could now access real-time data, including market trends and weather updates. It also used past competition data to improve recommendations. Chamara and his team uploaded updated reports regularly and asked targeted questions to guide decisions.

For example, the AI suggested locking in corn prices early due to market fluctuations caused by new tariffs. This helped improve profitability. By the end of the season, Chamara’s team secured first place in the highest corn yield category in the Mead sprinkler corn competition.

“If a person like me, who’s not a farmer, can use AI to win a competition like this, imagine what a seasoned farmer, with decades of experience and knowledge, could do with this tool,” Chamara said.

However, experts caution that AI should not be used alone. It may sometimes rely on incorrect information, so farmers must verify recommendations using trusted sources. Strong digital records and reliable data can make AI more effective.

Looking ahead, Chamara hopes to develop tools that connect farm sensors directly to AI systems, allowing real-time updates. This could help farmers make faster and more accurate decisions, improving sustainability and productivity in agriculture.

Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?