Agri-Tech Startup BharatRohan's Seed Trial Service Integrates Drone Survey, Data Analytics
By integrating routine drone surveys with agronomist validation, the service provides observation and documentation at different trial stages.
BharatRohan, an agri-tech startup specialising in drone spectral imaging-based decision support systems for farmers, has launched a new version of SeedAssure, a service for seed companies for conducting hybrid evaluation trials. By integrating drone technology with data analysis, SeedAssure will help in crop monitoring and offering insights for evaluating seed performance.
For testing new hybrid or high-yield seeds under diverse climatic conditions, accurate and reliable data is crucial. The service overcomes the limitations of traditional human-based monitoring, providing data for companies to develop superior seeds. Seed companies now have an option to customise the visualisation platform as per their needs, BharatRohan said.
SeedAssure tracks and analyses eight parameters—plant count, chlorophyll content, canopy coverage, crop-specific traits, plant height, pest and disease severity, and germination rate—providing an overview of each seed variety's performance.
By integrating routine drone surveys with agronomist validation, the service provides observation and documentation at different trial stages. The plot-specific data collection and timeline-centric database enable comparative analysis of seed varieties.
Using drone data for hybrid seed evaluation trials can enhance efficiency and speed, since drones can rapidly cover large trial areas. Drones equipped with multispectral or hyperspectral sensors can also capture standardised data at frequent intervals, enabling early detection of crop stress or disease. Additionally, they enable data collection from multiple trial locations, providing broader insights into hybrid performance.
"SeedAssure leverages high-resolution and hyperspectral drone data along with machine learning algorithms to detect subtle variations in crop traits. This empowers seed companies with predictive analytics that accelerate the development of high-quality seeds," said Rishabh Choudhary, director and co-founder, BharatRohan.
(With inputs from PTI)
