Is artificial intelligence revolutionizing plant breeding? At the Innov'Agri trade show, held in Outarville from September 2nd to 4th, 2025, Semae, the seeds and seedlings interprofessional organization, put the spotlight on artificial intelligence (AI). Already present in many tools (smartphones, virtual assistants...), it is now finding its place in the fields, serving breeders and farmers.
AI: the breeder's assistant
"AI does not replace breeders, it assists them," explains Julien Binet, head of the hybrid rapeseed breeding program at Bayer. Thanks to AI, breeders can analyze vast amounts of data in a matter of seconds, something that would previously have taken years and thousands of people to do. Every field trial result is now put into perspective. The performance of a variety is no longer just observed, it is explained and predicted according to the location, the year, the microplot and the plant's genetic heritage.
Designing the ideal plant before it even exists
One of the great advantages of AI is the ability to use the desired plant as a starting point for determining which crosses to make. Yield, disease resistance, oil or grain quality: everything can be anticipated thanks to knowledge of the genome and computing power. This approach reverses the traditional method. Instead of creating thousands of varieties and selecting the best, we can now simulate virtual plants and plan precisely how they will be bred. The range of possibilities is widened, and the time taken to create varieties is considerably reduced.
Precise, connected tools
AI is not limited to genetic models. It is also involved in the direct observation of plants: drones, LIDAR sensors, yellow pellets to detect insects… All these tools use algorithms to measure biomass, monitor crop health and characterize the environment. The data collected can be used to further refine models and optimize varietal selection.
A powerful but limited tool
AI does not invent data: it can only predict what it has learned. Information quality and data security are essential to guarantee reliability and confidentiality, and to preserve companies' competitive edge.
Serving farmers and consumers
From the plot to the garden, from the field to the plate, AI accelerates the creation of high-performance varieties adapted to the challenges of climate, regulations and consumer needs. At Innov'Agri, Semae showed that artificial intelligence is first and foremost a lever for innovation, a valuable assistant for the agricultural sector, rather than a threat.
For more information:
[email protected]
