Researchers at the Salk Institute are spearheading efforts to engineer plants with enhanced resilience to climate-related stresses thereby mitigating the escalating global temperature.
At the heart of this endeavour lies the innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) in plant research with the development of the SLEAP program playing a pivotal role. Originally designed for tracking animal movements, SLEAP has been adapted to meticulously monitor root growth characteristics crucial for carbon sequestration.
By leveraging SLEAP’s capabilities, scientists can now delve into the intricate details of root phenotypes facilitating the identification of genes associated with desirable traits for designing climate-resilient plants.
The efficiency and accessibility of the SLEAP protocol coupled with its open-source nature have revolutionized plant research significantly reducing analysis time and minimizing human error.
Furthermore, the SLEAP-based approach has demonstrated superior performance across multiple plant species heralding a new era in plant engineering.
The integration of genotype and phenotype data holds immense promise for accelerating the development of plants with deeper and more robust root systems, essential for long-term carbon sequestration.
Looking ahead, researchers are exploring collaborations with NASA to extend their work to space underscoring the potential global impact of their efforts in combating climate change.
In the words of Salk Fellow Talmo Pereira, this collaboration epitomizes the institute’s commitment to interdisciplinary research paving the way for transformative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
With the convergence of AI, plant biology and space exploration, scientists are poised to usher in a new era of innovation in the quest for a sustainable future.
