By Jamie Martin
Artificial intelligence is making its way into agriculture with the launch of a new feature in the ACREE app, developed through collaboration between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Georgia Institute of Technology.
The system, known as SPADE (Soil moisture Pattern and Anomaly DEtection), is powered by ChatGPT-4.1. It interprets soil moisture sensor data, identifies irrigation or rainfall events, estimates net water gains, and flags data irregularities. This helps farmers who often face difficulty interpreting multiple sensor readings across soil depths.
Soil probes generally measure moisture in 4-inch layers, producing complex graphs. SPADE reduces confusion by processing seven days of readings at the 1-foot depth. It simplifies data into structured reports that are easier for producers to use when making irrigation decisions.
An example from late August showed how SPADE detected an irrigation event on August 24. Soil moisture rose from 30.3% to 36.6% at the 1-foot depth, equal to about 0.75 inch of water. The system’s calculation of 0.69 inch closely matched field observations, demonstrating its accuracy.
This feature is still in beta testing, and users are advised that results may not always be perfect. Producers already using soil moisture sensors can activate the function, while others can contact university researchers for details.
Looking ahead, SPADE with ChatGPT-5 will provide even stronger analysis capabilities. By merging AI with soil sensors, this tool represents a significant step in precision agriculture, helping farmers save water, improve yields, and manage resources more effectively.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-dmytro-diedov
Categories: National