Evaluating bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) quality using UAV imagery

Authors: Bourland, Britton; Coyne, Clarice; LYON, DREW - Washington State University; SARI, HATICE - Washington State University; UHDRE, RENAN - Washington State University; Warburton, Marilyn

Submitted to: North American Pulse Improvement Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/8/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Significant climatic events like droughts and floods are increasing in severity across the globe. These climatic shifts are transforming agricultural lands worldwide by degrading historically productive farmland, reducing crop yields, and presenting new challenges to farmers. These challenges can be mitigated using well adapted crops capable of thriving on less-than-ideal lands to ensure global food security. Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) is an ancient crop species with the potential to diversify modern agriculture by providing a new, vigorous crop option. Native to arid regions of the Middle and Near East, bitter vetch evolved in harsh growing conditions and has natural resistances to drought, heat and cold. In tandem with identification of well adapted, new crop species such as bitter vetch, efficient evaluation methods can be applied to identify the best varieties. Aerial drone images can provide data on plant characteristics such as plant height and plant size. In this study, 114 varieties of bitter vetch were assessed for plant quality using drone imagery. Hand measured data was taken for plant height and size traits and then linked with the data collected from the drone images. Drone collected images for plant plant size was highly linked with hand measured plant weights and, drone collected images for plant height was linked with hand measured plant height. These links between hand measured and drone image captured characteristics indicate that drone imagery is an accurate, fast, and economically efficient way to identify the best variety in the field. By using these efficient assessment methods, best adapted bitter vetch varieties can be identified, and plant breeders will be able to use them to provide farmers with a source of nutritious grain, hay, and green manure. This will help to combat environmental degradation and stabilize food security in an ever-changing world.

Technical Abstract: Significant climatic events like droughts and floods are increasing in severity across the globe. These climatic shifts are transforming agricultural systems worldwide by degrading historically productive agricultural land, reducing productivity, and presenting new challenges to growers. These challenges can be mitigated by the use of genetically adapted novel crops capable of thriving on marginal lands to ensure global food security. Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) is an ancient grain legume with the potential to diversify modern agroecosystems by providing a new, robust rotations option. Native to arid regions of the Middle and Near East, bitter vetch evolved in harsh growing conditions and has natural resistances to drought, heat and cold. As a legume, bitter vetch introduces nitrogen into the soil, reducing grower inputs and fertilizer costs, and is thus ideal for use on temperate, marginal landscapes across the world. In tandem with identification of well adapted, novel crops such as bitter vetch, high-throughput phenotyping methods can be applied to evaluate best adapted genotypes. RGB images can provide data on forage traits such as canopy height and volume. In this study, 114 genotypes of bitter vetch were analyzed for quality using UAV imagery. Ground truth data was taken for plant height and biomass traits and then correlated with the data collected from the UAV. UAV collected canopy volume was highly correlated with ground truth biomass weights (Pearson’s r = 0.85) and UAV collected plant height was correlated with ground truth plant height (Pearson’s r = 0.65). These figures indicate that UAV imagery is an accurate, fast, and economically efficient way to identify superior genotypes. By using these high-throughput methods, best adapted bitter vetch lines can be identified, and breeders will be able to use them to provide growers with a source of nutritious grain, hay, and green manure. This will help to combat environmental degradation and stabilize food security in an ever-changing world.