Machine learning is making pesto even more delicious

AI has been used to improve the flavor of basil. It’s part of a trend that is seeing machine learning revolutionize farming, writes Will Knight.

How: The researchers from MIT wanted to work out how to maximize the concentration of the volatile compounds that make basil so delicious. The basil was grown in hydroponic units, with factors like temperature and light controlled automatically. The researchers tested the plants’ taste by looking for these flavor-creating compounds and then fed the resulting data into machine-learning algorithms.

The results: Counterintuitively, exposing plants to light 24 hours a day generated the best taste. Next, the group plans to study how the technology might boost plants’ disease-fighting capabilities.

A wider trend: The idea of using machine learning to optimize plant yield and properties is rapidly taking off in agriculture. It’s a powerful tool for greenhouse growing, but less useful for open fields. Read the full story here.