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Innovative plant patch uses AI to detect disease and drought

A high-tech patch promises to protect garden plants and crops from disease and other threats.

American researchers have developed an electronic device that can be applied to leaves to monitor crops for different pathogens – such as viral and fungal infections – as well as stresses such as drought.

They say that, in testing, the patch was able to detect a viral infection in tomato plants more than a week before growers would be able to detect any visible symptoms of disease.

Dr. Qingshan Wei, of North Carolina State University, said: “This is important because the earlier growers can identify plant diseases or fungal infections, the better able they will be to limit the spread of the disease and preserve their crop."

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Cheapest States to Buy Farmland in America

Video: Cheapest States to Buy Farmland in America

The United States has more than 895 million acres of farmland, which includes all rural land tied to farming operations, from highly fertile Midwest cornfields to vast grazing ranges in the West, as well as the undeveloped rural land, which is often sold as ranches, homesteads, or uncultivated lots. Nowadays investing in rural land is very lucrative even billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett have bought up thousands of acres of farmland across America. In contrast to investors, agricultural companies, and business moguls, some buy farmland for their own requisites, like starting a small farmstead, creating a cottage, and becoming self-resilient. In this video we have ranked the top cheapest states to buy farmland according to the per-acre land value, which is accumulated from the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s per-acre land values come from an annual survey, which is cross-checked with actual sales data, appraisals, and market trends to ensure accuracy. So here are The top Cheapest States to Buy Farmland.