About the project
Initial situation:
Fibre hemp offers great potential for regional, sustainable value creation. However, the quality of the fibre is crucial. This depends heavily on the time of harvest and the roasting process. The right time for harvesting has generally been determined visually until now. Currently, there is a lack of practical, data-supported recommendations tailored to specific locations, varieties and weather conditions.
Objective:
The project will develop an AI system to be made available to farmers as an app or web application. This system will use image, quality and environmental data to determine the optimal harvest time.
Project activities and expected results:
- The project involves variety trials by the University of Hohenheim at three different locations in Baden-Württemberg, as well as data collection and the development of AI for transfer to a practical app or web application.
- Fibre quality analysis and data management at the German Institute for Textile and Fibre Research in Denkendorf (which will also form the basis for developing the app).
- Public relations and knowledge transfer.
- Testing and validation on three farms (with the possibility of involving additional farms in the final project year).
Benefits for agricultural practice:
- The development of a data-supported decision-making tool (an app or web application) to determine the optimal harvest time for fibre hemp.
- Improving fibre quality and processability and reducing harvest losses.
- Findings on suitable varieties
- Findings on adapting cultivation and harvesting strategies to location and weather conditions
- Findings on the evaluation of variety-specific differences in fibre quality.
