Scientists in Aberystwyth are developing an app using AI that could tackle potato blight.

Spearheaded by a research team at Aberystwyth University, the DeepDetect project aims to develop a mobile phone app that uses artificial intelligence to provide early warnings of diseases in potatoes.

Potato crops are highly susceptible to diseases caused by pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes.

Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, can wipe out entire fields, and lead to enormous costs and food shortages. It is responsible for 20 per cent of potato crop losses and £3.5 billion in economic losses worldwide.

Traditionally, disease detection in crops has relied on manual inspection, a method that is time-consuming, expensive, and often subjective.

DeepDetect aims to change that by harnessing the power of machine learning to deliver accurate diagnoses directly to farmers’ smartphones.

Dr Edore Akpokodje, a Lecturer in Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, said: “Our goal is to empower farmers with a tool which is not only scientifically robust but also practical and easy to use, and which delivers instantaneous, location-specific disease forecasts straight to their phones. By integrating farmer feedback from the outset, we will ensure that this technology is grounded in real-world needs and challenges.”

Potatoes are a vital crop globally and in Wales, where over 17,000 hectares are dedicated to potato farming.

The project also aims to reduce the environmental and financial burden of widespread preventive spraying, which currently costs Welsh farmers up to £5.27 million annually.

Dr Akpokodje added: “Addressing the challenge of early diagnosis of potato plant disease would boost productivity and reduce costs for farmers, while supporting more sustainable and targeted disease management. By decreasing reliance on pesticides, this approach benefits both the environment and the long-term resilience of the potato industry.”