Drones and Genetic Science Join Forces to Develop Drought-Resilient Wheat.

Researchers from the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at Hebrew University, in collaboration with the Volcani Institute, have unveiled a novel method to accelerate the discovery of drought-tolerant wheat varieties. By employing drones equipped with advanced thermal and hyperspectral imaging cameras, the team has developed a rapid, precise approach to evaluate wheat’s ability to thrive under heat and water stress—an urgent challenge amid global climate change and food insecurity.

The study, led by Ph.D. candidate Roy Sadeh under the guidance of Dr. Ittai Herrmann and Prof. Zvi Peleg from the Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, was recently published in Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. Using drone flights over experimental wheat plots at the rain-out shelter of the Pheno-IL research and education facility, the researchers captured detailed images reflecting heat emission and light reflection from the crops.

These aerial images allowed the scientists to assess how effectively different wheat varieties manage water through their stomata—the tiny pores on leaves responsible for moisture regulation and gas exchange. The research also tracked additional plant features such as leaf area index and chlorophyll content.

With the aid of machine learning models analyzing data collected over two growing seasons, the team linked these traits to specific genetic regions within the wheat genome. They identified 16 genetic markers associated with improved performance under both ideal and drought conditions, which were validated through follow-up field trials.

“Traditionally, measuring stomatal conductance—the plant’s water regulation capability—was a slow process requiring manual instruments,” explained Roy Sadeh, the study’s lead author. “Our drone-based method offers a quick, non-invasive way to pinpoint drought-resilient plants.”

This innovative approach presents a promising tool for plant breeders aiming to develop wheat strains that can withstand increasingly harsh environmental conditions. By integrating drone technology with genetic insights, the process of breeding climate-resilient wheat varieties can be significantly expedited, helping agriculture meet rising global food demands.

The study involved testing 300 genetically diverse wheat varieties under both normal and drought stress conditions within a rain-out shelter. Using support vector machine models, the researchers improved the accuracy of water-use estimation by 28% compared to previous methods. Notably, this is the first instance where unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based measurements of stomatal conductance have been used to map genetic markers in wheat.

As climate change continues to threaten food security worldwide, this innovative research offers a vital pathway to future-proof agriculture, ensuring resilient wheat crops capable of enduring heat and drought for generations to come.

Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-05-drones-genetics-team-drought-smart.html

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.