Aerial Monitoring of Plant Stress in Greenhouse Grown Seedlings and High-Wire Sweet Pepper

Aerial Monitoring of Plant Stress in Greenhouse Grown Seedlings and High-Wire Sweet Pepper

Project For Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)
Development
Since 2025-06

Objective

The core goal is to elevate Saiwa’s plant health monitoring system from prototype to validated, production-ready software. Specifically, we aim to:

  • Detect early signs of plant stress, including chlorosis (leaf yellowing) and wilting, in high-wire and seedling-stage sweet pepper crops.

  • Provide greenhouse operators with spatial maps of affected zones.

Reduce reliance on prophylactic pesticide applications through targeted, data-driven interventions.

 

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Image Source : GitHub
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Image Source : GitHub

 

Technology and Innovation

The platform integrates:

  • RGB and multispectral imagery from greenhouse environments.

  • Zero-shot and few-shot learning techniques for stress detection.

  • Deep learning models enhanced by anomaly detection modules.

  • Real-time image preprocessing and mapping, converting raw data into actionable orthomosaics.

  • Cloud-based access via Saiwa’s Sairone platform.

The models localize stressed plants and notify operators via an intuitive interface—triggering robotic or manual intervention.

Partner: Vineland Research and Innovation Centre

Vineland is a non-profit research organization located in Ontario that delivers innovation through science and technology for the horticulture sector. Their team is providing:

  • Greenhouse space and crop cultivation for experimental sweet pepper trials.

  • Specialized equipment setup, including robotic and multispectral imaging.

  • Controlled stress induction for creating labeled training datasets.

  • Ground-truthing expertise to validate AI model outputs.

Their support ensures the trials represent real-world greenhouse conditions, which is crucial for model performance and commercial viability.

Visit Vineland Research and Innovation Centre to learn more.

 

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Image Source : GitHub
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Image Source : GitHub

Funding and Support: Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)

This project is supported by OCI through its CIT – Development and Commercialization (DC) Program, which fosters commercialization of Ontario-based innovations.

  • OCI Project Number: 36441

  • Project Duration: June 15, 2025 – December 15, 2025

Learn more about OCI's programs at www.oc-innovation.ca.

Anticipated Outcomes

By project completion, Saiwa will deliver:

  • A validated software prototype for early stress detection in sweet pepper crops.

  • An API-ready AI model for integration into greenhouse management systems.

  • Support for robotic and manual inspection workflows.

  • A scalable module deployable via Sairone, Saiwa's precision agriculture platform.

The technology will ultimately improve greenhouse crop productivity while reducing input costs and enhancing sustainability practices.

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