Laser scanning and 3D printing crop breeding

Jun 20, 2024

Advancing agriculture through high-tech plant models

By Farms.com

Modern agriculture is evolving with cutting-edge technology like laser scanning and 3D printing. Researchers have developed a method to create detailed 3D models of sugar beet plants using these technologies.

These models capture essential plant characteristics above ground, crucial for improving crops through AI-assisted methods.

Traditionally, gathering plant data relied on manual measurements, but now, automated systems with advanced sensors and AI algorithms make it faster and more precise. These systems measure everything from plant size to leaf shape, providing insights for better crop management.

The new 3D-printed sugar beet plant models serve as standardized references for researchers worldwide. Created from laser-scanned data processed through 3D printers, these models are accurate and reproducible. They help scientists compare and analyze plant traits efficiently, whether in labs or real fields.

"This technology isn't limited to sugar beets," explains Jonas Bömer, one of the researchers. "It sets a new standard in plant phenotyping, benefiting both scientific research and practical agriculture."

This innovation is not just about high-tech tools; it's about making agriculture more sustainable and accessible. With freely available printing files, anyone can replicate these models, promoting global collaboration in agricultural research.

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

We're a 6th generation family farm in southeast Iowa showing the real ups and downs of pig farming and row crop farming. No script, just the work. Subscribe and follow along.

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