F3i Orchard Stress Data Challenge Winners Announced

F3 Innovate has announced the winners of its Orchard Stress Data Challenge, a competition that brought together students and researchers to apply data science and artificial intelligence to one of agriculture's most important challenges: helping growers better understand orchard health and stress.

Today, getting detailed images of orchards often requires flying drones or aircraft over fields, something that can be expensive, infrequent, and difficult to use across large farming operations. However, AI creates new possibilities. Combined with publicly available satellite imagery, AI can detect patterns, compare conditions over time, and help growers identify where problems may be emerging across thousands of acres more efficiently and affordably.

In a field of talented participants, participating teams demonstrated an exceptional ability to transform complex datasets into clear, actionable insights that can support growers and strengthen agricultural resilience. Their solutions highlighted how data can be leveraged to better understand orchard stress, improve decision-making, and drive more sustainable outcomes.

1st Place - $1,500

Team: Aerial AgroPhenomics; Alireza Sanaeifar, Fresno State

2nd Place - $750

Team: MeMyselfandI; Nicholas Melnichenko, UC Davis

3rd Place - $400

Team: TerraLogiX; Gustavo Castaneda

Honorable Mentions: Team AgroVision from San Jose State, and team SpectralCV from Fresno State.

Data Challenges are part of the programming for F3i’s Supercomputing Center. The challenges make real-world datasets and cash prizes available to students and researchers to accelerate new approaches and solutions to some of agriculture’s toughest challenges.

For more information, contact Ryan Dinubilo at Ryan@F3innovate.org