A narrative review of artificial intelligence to optimize the use of fertilizers: A game changing opportunity

Abstract

The green revolution, which came after the industrial revolution, boosted the crop yields produced per unit of land, but it also increased the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and lowered the water table and increased salinization. In order to improve farm productivity, soil fertility is crucial and for preserving soil fertility, boosting yields, and enhancing harvest quality, fertilizer is essential. The decline in the fertility of the soil is a key constraint in enhancing food production worldwide, and improper nutrient management is a significant cause of this problem. Agroecosystems will need to implement contemporary technologies in order to produce enough food and mitigate the detrimental effects of chemical fertilization on the environment. Hence, the agri-food industry is progressively utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to increase productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. AI uses computational models to process data and identifies patterns for predictions or decision-making. This review emphasizes how AI technology could be used for the predictions of manure compositions for improvement of food safety and quality. We aimed to identify the role of AI and the supporting evidences of field studies to characterize the controlled combinations of fertilizers for the efficient crop production with lowest possible plant toxicity. Also, we discuss the constraints and challenges of AI in the food and agricultural sector. In conclusion, AI-based approaches and field studies suggested that combining organic and inorganic fertilizers can synergistically improve crop growth and yield parameters.