In the fertile plains of Iowa, a new wave of agricultural innovation is transforming crop development through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), gene-editing, and genetic modification. This technological approach is expected to soon extend to Australia, with significant implications for global food production.
Traditionally, breeding new crop varieties required years of careful selection and field testing. However, AI is now enabling researchers to compress this timeline from several years to just months. By analyzing vast amounts of genomic and phenotypic data, AI models can accurately predict which parent plants will produce offspring with desired traits such as higher yields, improved resistance to disease and pests, greater tolerance to herbicides, and enhanced survival under drought conditions and heat stress related to climate change.
Jeremy Williams, a member of Bayer’s Crop Science leadership team, explained that the company has been working on "digital twin" simulations to replicate testing environments and physical conditions virtually. This method allows them to forecast how crop populations will perform without the need for extensive field validation. “We can now essentially do in months the kinds of selection that used to take years of field testing,” Williams said.
At Bayer’s research farm near Huxley, Iowa, this approach has yielded a new variety of corn designed to better withstand extreme weather. The "short-stature" corn is more resistant to wind damage and develops a larger root system, traits that contribute to drought tolerance and heat resilience. Williams noted that such adaptations will be increasingly vital as climate-related challenges intensify.
AI-supported breeding also enables a fast-paced response to emerging plant diseases by simulating the impact of genetic changes on tolerance and yield, facilitating swift development of resilient varieties. Furthermore, AI tools can help match new hybrid crops with optimal growing regions or even specific parcels of farmland, increasing efficiency and productivity.
These innovations arrive at a critical juncture as the global population is projected to expand by 18% by 2050, while 11% of harvests face threats from climate change and resistant weeds. Bayer plans to introduce its AI-developed short-stature corn to Australian farmers in the coming years, along with pest-resistant cotton and canola varieties. The company is also focusing on biofuel crops such as camelina and low-input winter oilseed.
According to Williams, the integration of AI and advanced genetics is already accelerating genetic gains in crop research. “We’ve moved beyond hypothesis to be able to produce these high-productivity products faster,” he said. He highlighted the ability to address multiple agricultural challenges simultaneously, emphasizing that this scalable approach allows for cost-effective localization and customization of crop development.
As environmental pressures mount, the creation of more resilient crop varieties through AI and gene-editing stands to play an increasingly important role in sustaining food security worldwide.