The Laboratory of Information Technologies has become an information partner of the competition “Digital Breakthrough 2022. Season: Artificial Intelligence”. The Laboratory’s specialists in artificial intelligence and machine learning formulated the task on plant disease detection using neural networks with a small training dataset.

The Laboratory solves a multitude of tasks in the field of data analysis. However, most of them require certain competencies. For example, the Laboratory deals with the task of reconstructing the trajectory of a particle passing through a detector. According to Alexander Uzhinskiy, MLIT leading programmer, laboratory specialists decided to select a task, the solution of which requires knowledge only in the field of image classification using neural networks. “The task on plant disease detection by photos is of great practical importance since crop losses due to diseases and pests may reach up to 30%,” he highlighted. Alexander also expresses hope that the competition’s participants will provide new original solutions, the implementation of which will help to increase yields and minimise losses in both agricultural holdings and farms.