Traditionally known as the “Breadbasket of New England,” the Connecticut River Valley is home to some of the most productive farmland in the nation. But today, farmers in the region face challenges ranging from climate change-driven weather extremes to pests and disease to low profit margins.

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As a result, younger generations are less likely to view farming as a viable career path, and Massachusetts growers are aging. At UMass Amherst, researchers are studying ways to harness technology—including artificial intelligence (AI)—to enable smarter, more productive, and profitable farming.

“We have to be forward-looking,” says Jianyu Li, extension assistant professor of sustainable fruit and vegetable production in UMass’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture. “We need to use technology to make agriculture more efficient and profitable, and less labor-intensive.”

Li is a horticulturalist whose research focuses on improving productivity in vegetables (including leafy greens, tomatoes, and broccoli) and small fruits, such as blueberries and strawberries. He studies precision agriculture as well as resource optimization in controlled environment agriculture (CEA)—indoor, temperature-controlled growing settings like greenhouses and vertical farms.

As an extension faculty member, his research is aimed at helping farmers in the commonwealth. In this regard, he represents a long tradition for UMass Amherst, dating back to the school’s land-grant roots, when it was founded in 1863 as the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Today, UMass’s extension outreach programs include not only agriculture but topics such as clean energy, food science, nutrition, and the arts.
 

Traditional Farming Meets Modern Technology

As Li explains it, precision agriculture is a type of smart farming that combines traditional agricultural practices with precision technology. It uses technologies such as remote sensing via satellite, unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as “drones”), and robots to capture agricultural data that can help farmers optimize crop productivity. In recent years, scientists have begun to use AI algorithms to analyze this data in more robust ways, making precision agriculture even more powerful.

“AI takes precision agriculture to the next level by making it more programmable, precise, and adaptable to different concerns,” he explains.

According to Li, some of the most promising applications of precision agriculture are in detecting crop diseases or pest damage in the early stages so farmers can respond quickly and precisely to mitigate harm.

“For example, tomato plants can be devastated if blight is not caught early enough,” Li says. “If we can use technology to monitor tomato crops and train algorithms to accurately predict disease progression, we’ll be better equipped to catch early-stage blight and treat it before it causes significant yield reduction.” 

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At the UMass Cranberry Station, Giverson Mupambi, extension assistant professor of cranberry physiology, is studying the use of drones for remote sensing and aerial application of inputs (like fertilizers and pesticides) for cranberry growing. He collaborates on this research with Ryan Wicks, a professional Unmanned Aircraft System pilot and research fellow with UMassAIR, part of the UMass Transportation Center. 

“Remote sensing with drones can be applied to cultural practices, such as frost monitoring and fertilization. It can also be used for the detection of weeds, diseases, and insect damage,” Mupambi explains. “Regarding inputs, drones can be used for both granular and liquid applications, covering a wide range of fertilizers and pesticides. Cranberry growers are expected to benefit from using drones by reducing pesticide use, protecting the environment, and enhancing profitability.”

According to Mupambi, a small but growing number of cranberry farmers use drones in their work, and he expects this use to increase as research advances. The Cranberry Station is supporting the adoption of drones by leading workshops for local cranberry growers and publishing extension fact sheets with guidance on drone use.

From left to right, Malena Raslavicus '27, PhD student Winie Paul, and Seven Liu '25 (currently working as a research assistant), with Jianyu Li, extension assistant professor of sustainable fruit and vegetable production in UMass’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture, flying a drone at Cold Spring Orchard.

From Research Findings to Actionable Recommendations

Precision agricultural techniques can also inform which crops farmers plant in the first place for optimal results. As part of a large, multistate study, Li’s lab recently completed research on broccoli cultivars—genetically different varieties of broccoli with slightly different traits, which may show differences in performance, yield, or resistance to factors such as pests, disease, or extreme heat. Massachusetts is a major grower of broccoli, but the crops face significant threats from pests and disease. 

“We flew drones in broccoli fields and collected data on crop growth and greenness for eight different cultivars to identify which cultivars fare best in the Northeast. Ultimately, we’ll translate our findings into actionable recommendations for local broccoli growers,” says Li.

Li’s lab is also working on a precision agriculture blueberry cultivar evaluation trial at UMass’s Cold Spring Orchard in Belchertown, Massachusetts. Li is collaborating with Dr. Yoichiro Hoshino at Hokkaido University in Japan—part of an academic partnership between the two universities dating back 150 years—to revolutionize blueberry farming using AI. They are developing a deep learning model that helps blueberry farmers determine optimal harvest timing by analyzing and balancing fruit characteristics in order to enhance blueberry quality and yield efficiency.

Immersive Research for Tech Savvy Students

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Rahim Mian ’26, a computer science major from Lexington, Massachusetts, contributed to the broccoli cultivar research in summer 2025 through an internship with the Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) program. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the REEU program offers students from a variety of backgrounds, who have no previous research experience, immersive training in agricultural research and extension. Mian, who was looking for opportunities to use his computer science skills outside of a traditional tech company, studied data collected by drones in the broccoli fields, examining the relationship between normalized difference vegetation index (NVDI) data (measuring the overall “greenness” of vegetation) and the growth of the broccoli head, the part that’s traditionally eaten. This research seeks to inform how farmers use drone data; for example, to gauge the overall health and yield of their crops or to determine when to harvest the broccoli.

“As a computer science student, I’m usually sitting behind a desk most of the day. It was really nice to go out and see the work that goes into agriculture,” Mian says. “Extension work is a really hands-on experience, and we got to interact with a lot of local farmers and do research to directly address the problems they’re facing.”

“This experience was a valuable stepping stone for me to do future research. I really want to continue working in agriculture using my computer science skills,” he adds.

Controlling Agricultural Environments

Farmers in New England face another tough challenge from Mother Nature: a mismatch between the short growing season, and year-round demand for fresh, local produce. 

When weather conditions don’t allow for outdoor growing, farmers can continue growing crops indoors, in either simple greenhouses or higher-tech indoor vertical farms. 

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 According to Li, the concept of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) has been around for about 30 years, but it has really taken off in the past decade. It’s especially popular in urban regions, such as the Boston area. Western Massachusetts has been slower to adopt indoor vertical farms, but Li believes they hold great promise, given seasonal limitations and a dearth of usable farmland in the area.

Li’s research in the area of CEA centers on optimizing resources to maximize crop productivity. His studies have focused on small crops that can be grown indoors, like basil, strawberries, blueberries, and leafy greens. He’s currently studying the use of artificial light in indoor vertical farming, evaluating variations in light intensity, photoperiod (or the length of “daylight” created by farmers in indoor environments), and light spectrum (blue, red, or a combination). 

“We’re trying to find the best light strategy to optimize crop yield and the quality of crops, including their nutritional value,” says Li.

This story was originally published in September 2025.