Report Highlights How AI and Biotech Could Drive Development of Resilient Crops

An international team of researchers from China, the USA, and Europe, including Aberystwyth University, has released a report highlighting a roadmap for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with genome editing, protein design, high-throughput phenotyping, and omics technologies that analyze the genetic and chemical makeup of plants.

The researchers say adopting these techniques would accelerate the improvement of crops that are more productive, sustainable, and climate-resilient, and could even lead to domesticating new crops. Professor John Doonan, Director of the National Plant Phenomics Centre at Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), said, “Think of it like designing and building a bridge. We now have the tools to engineer crops with similar precision — combining biological insights with AI to build plants that can withstand drought, disease, and other stresses.”

The review published in the journal Nature highlights how AI can predict the best combinations of genes for yield, nutrition, and stress tolerance; design novel proteins to enhance plant defenses and performance; and integrate very complex datasets to guide smarter, faster breeding decisions. Professor Doonan added that this project is about building resilience into crops from the ground up by uniting AI with cutting-edge biotechnology and sustainable farming practices, and future-proof food production for generations to come.

For more details, read the news article on the Aberystwyth University website.