'Digital Twins': How Computers Are Changing Horticulture

By New Zealand Herald

Using technology familiar to computer gamers, University of Queensland scientists are creating “digital twins” of mango and macadamia orchards to help boost food production, reports The Country — New Zealand Herald.

It was an example of how computers were changing the industry, said Professor Neena Mitter, the Director of the Centre of Horticultural Science at Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI).

“Developing a digital model for an orchard with slow growing crops like mango and macadamia enables us to run virtual experiments at a scale and speed never before possible,” Mitter said. “Digital technologies offer an unprecedented acceleration in innovation will help make food production more productive, resilient, and sustainable.”

Lead researcher Dr. Liqi Han said the technology would particularly benefit slow growing crops like fruit trees.

“The digital modelling provides untapped opportunities for users to rapidly trial new ideas and acquire a reliable indicator of how to best optimise production systems,” Han said.