The Precision Crop Protection (PCP) Laboratory is affiliated with the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering and Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia (UGA), Athens, GA. Graduate students can join through the the College of Engineering or the Department of Plant Pathology Program.

The overreaching goal of the PCP Lab is to provide engineering solutions for crop biotic stress management in order to reduce farming input costs and increase crop yield. Our team works on computer vision, artificial intelligence, and robotics to provide real-world solutions.

Being concerned about the rapid population rising worldwide, we have been driven by our intellectual curiosity to find answers to increasing food production with a gradually decreased amount of agricultural land. Our research team is always passionate about solving real-world problems. Whether it’s finding an automated solution for crop production or an effective tool for crop management, we have quickly uncovered growers’ problems and pointed out a strategic solution.

With our refined skill set, we develop computer vision and AI algorithms and robotic systems that enable automatically locating and identifying items, speeding up production processes, and reducing the required workforce. This is what we have been working on, creating greater efficiencies and profitability in agriculture through improved yields and lower operating costs. With rising labor costs, increasing aesthetic standards for agricultural products, and greater global competition, farmers have been turning to the latest automation technology to stay ahead of the game.