In the heart of China, a team of researchers from Jiangsu University, the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, and the Changping District Agricultural Service Center is revolutionizing vegetable production with spectral technology. Led by Dr. BAI Juekun, this innovative group is tackling one of the most pressing issues in global agriculture: food waste and safety. Their work, published in the journal *智慧农业* (translated as “Smart Agriculture”), is paving the way for a more efficient, safe, and sustainable future for vegetable production.
The team’s research focuses on spectral technology, a non-invasive, rapid, and cost-effective method for detecting biotic and abiotic stresses, poor post-harvest management, and chemical safety hazards in vegetables. This technology spans near-infrared (NIR), Raman, fluorescence, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and UV-Vis modalities, offering label-free, multiplexed, and second-scale measurements directly on living plants or minimally processed products.
Dr. BAI Juekun and his team have made significant strides in this field, developing hardware that is both portable and powerful. “We’ve seen a dramatic evolution in hardware, with miniaturization and functional integration at the forefront,” says Dr. BAI. “Our hand-held NIR units now weigh less than 300 grams and achieve R2 greater than 0.95 for soluble solids and moisture in tomato, zucchini, and pepper.”
The team’s work doesn’t stop at hardware. They’ve also made methodological advances, combining advanced chemometrics and deep learning to improve the accuracy and efficiency of spectral technology. “Transfer learning enables a model trained on greenhouse tomatoes to predict field-grown cherry tomatoes with only 10% recalibration samples, cutting data acquisition costs by 70%,” explains Dr. BAI.
The implications of this research for the energy sector are significant. As the world’s population continues to grow, so too does the demand for food. Spectral technology offers a way to reduce food waste and improve food safety, ensuring that more of the food we produce reaches our tables. This, in turn, reduces the energy required for food production and transportation, contributing to a more sustainable future.
Moreover, the team’s work on data governance and interoperability is crucial for the widespread adoption of spectral technology. “We’re establishing ISO-grade protocols for hardware interfaces, data formats, calibration transfer, and privacy-preserving data sharing,” says Dr. BAI. “This will enable seamless integration of devices, clouds, and decision-support platforms, making spectral technology more accessible and user-friendly.”
The team’s research is a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration. By bringing together experts from different fields and institutions, they’ve made significant strides in spectral technology, shaping the future of vegetable production and contributing to a more sustainable and energy-efficient world. As we look to the future, the work of Dr. BAI Juekun and his team offers a glimpse of what’s possible, inspiring us to continue pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve.