植物学报 ›› 2026, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (4): 549-714.DOI: 10.11983/CBB25192  cstr: 32102.14.CBB25192

• 特邀综述 •    下一篇

AI4Root: 人工智能驱动的植物根系研究进展

方博2, 高树琴1, 段世名3, 马慧敏4, 赵洪龙1, 蒋浩1, 杨艳敏5, 龙隆1, 贺祖光1, 张玉成1, 郑聪聪1,*()   

  1. 1 中国科学院计算技术研究所 , 北京 100190
    2 德国于利希研究中心 植物科学研究所(IBG—2), 于利希 52428
    3 中国农业大学 水利与土木工程学院 , 北京 100193
    4 吉林农业大学 农学院 , 长春 130118
    5 中国科学院遗传与发育生物学研究所 农业资源研究中心 , 石家庄 050021
  • 收稿日期:2025-10-27 接受日期:2026-01-09 出版日期:2026-07-10 发布日期:2026-01-22
  • 通讯作者: 郑聪聪
  • 基金资助:
    中国科学院科研项目

Al4Root: a Framework to Advance Al-Driven Plant Root Research

Bo Fang2, Shuqin Gao1, Shiming Duan3, Huimin Ma 4, Honglong Zhao1, Hao Jiang 1, Yanmin Yang5, Long Long1, Zuguang He1, Yucheng Zhang 1, Congcong Zheng1*   

  1. 1 Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijling 100190, China;

    2 Institute of Plant Sciences(IBG-2),Forschungszentrum Jilich , Jilich 52428,Germany;

    3 college of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, ChinaAgricultural University (CAU), Beijing 100193,China;

    4 College of Agriculture,Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China;

    5 Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Iinstitute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021,China

  • Received:2025-10-27 Accepted:2026-01-09 Online:2026-07-10 Published:2026-01-22

摘要: 随着科学智能(AI for science, AI4Science) (即用人工智能技术来驱动科学研究)作为科学研究新范式的兴起, 人工智能(AI)正深刻推动植物生命系统的研究向数据驱动与智能化转型。根系作为植物获取水分和养分、感知环境胁迫并参与地上-地下互作的关键器官, 对作物产量和生态系统的功能起着决定性作用。然而, 由于根系生长在土壤中, 其复杂表型难以直接观测, 导致对根系结构和功能的认识长期滞后于地上部分。人工智能的发展为破解这一“地下黑箱”提供了新工具和新路径。如何以人工智能为核心驱动力, 整合多源的根系与环境数据、前沿算法及根系科学知识体系, 进而揭示根系结构与功能的关键关系, 成为当前根系研究的前沿方向。该文从数据获取、结构建模、机制推理和管理决策等方面系统综述了AI在根系研究中的主要应用与发展趋势, 基于AI的图像分析可实现根系结构的自动识别与量化; 建模与数据融合可揭示根系-土壤多尺度、多过程的互作。虽然AI在根系表型测定、构型模拟、分泌物及微生物互作解析等方面显示出巨大潜力, 为深入理解根系功能提供了前所未有的手段。然而, AI应用于根系研究仍面临田间高质量数据获取困难、不同实验尺度之间的数据融合不足, 以及根系-土壤-环境耦合过程的模拟与刻画不充分等挑战。该文对根系研究如何依托多源数据深度整合、跨学科算法优化及数字农业平台协同应用进行探讨, 以推动相关关键核心技术突破, 促进根系科学向智能化、精准化方向发展, 为新一代根系育种和资源高效利用提供理论依据与技术支撑。

关键词: 根系, 人工智能, 深度学习, 智慧农业, AI4Root

Abstract: With Al for Science (A4Science) emerging as a new paradigm for scientific research, artificial intelligence (AI) is driving a transition toward data-driven and intelligent research in plant science. Roots, as the key organs responsible forwater and nutrient acquisition, environmental sensing, and above-below ground interactions, are decisive for crop productivity and ecosystem functioning. However, due to their hidden growth in soil, structural complexity, and limited observability, our understanding of root structure and function has long lagged behind that of above ground parts. Recent advances in Al have provided new tools and pathways for decoding the "underground black box". Using Al as a key driver to integrate multi-source root and environmental data, advanced algorithms, and the broader knowledge base of root science has emergedas a frontier direction in below ground research. In this context, we systematically review the major applications and emerging trends of Al in root studies, encompassing data acquisition, structural modeling, mechanistic inference, and management decision support. Al-based image analysis enables automated recognition and quantification of root architectures, while modeling and data-fusion approaches reveal the multi-scale and multi-process interactions between roots and soil. Al applications in root phenotyping, architectural simulation, and deciphering root exudate-microbiome interactions are also showing great potential, offering unprecedented tools to advance our understanding of root function. However, the application of Al in root research stil faces several challenges, including the difficulty of acquiring high-quality field data, insufficient integration across experimental scales, and limited capacity to model the complexity of root-soil-environment interactions. Looking ahead, the deep integration of multi-source data, cross-disciplinary algorithmic advancements, and the coordinated development of digital agriculture platforms are expected to propel root science into a new era of intelligent research, offering innovative pathways for crop improvement and the advancement of smart agriculture.

Key words: roots, artificial intelligence, deep learning, smart agriculture, Al4Root