Transforming Medicinal Plant Agriculture: Implementing Soil-less Systems and AI Innovations for Smart Farming

Pankaj Kumar · Ashish R. Warghat

Feb 2026 · Springer Nature

Ebook

336

Pages

About this ebook

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of how cutting-edge technologies, including soil-less systems and artificial intelligence (AI), are transforming the cultivation of medicinal plants. As global health increasingly relies on natural remedies, the demand for high-quality medicinal plants is surging. Traditional agriculture, with its inherent challenges such as soil degradation, inconsistent yields, and labor-intensive practices, often falls short of meeting this demand. This book addresses these challenges by presenting innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and quality of medicinal plant production. The main topics covered include vertical farming, AI-driven crop management, nanotechnology applications, advanced sensor technology, hyperspectral imaging, robotics, and drone-based systems. Each chapter delves into a specific technology or system, illustrating how it contributes to the overall goal of optimizing medicinal plant cultivation. The integration of these advanced technologies not only improves the quality and consistency of the products but also supports the shift towards more environmentally friendly farming practices. The target audience for this book includes researchers, agronomists, practitioners, and entrepreneurs who are involved in or interested in the field of smart agriculture and medicinal plant cultivation. It will also appeal to academics and students studying agricultural science, horticulture, or plant biotechnology, as well as industry professionals seeking to implement or invest in advanced agricultural technologies. Through its in-depth analysis and practical insights, this book will serve as a valuable resource for anyone aiming to contribute to or capitalize on the future of smart agriculture.

Discover more

About the author

Pankaj Kumar is presently working as Assistant Professor (Biotechnology), Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. With more than nine years of specialized expertise in Medicinal plant biotechnology, Dr. Kumar has significantly contributed to understanding high altitude adaptation of medicinal plants, and secondary metabolite production through advanced cell and tissue engineering techniques. His research delves into the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolite production, utilizing cutting-edge comparative transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches. Additionally, Dr. Kumar has pioneered work in the hydro-aero cultivation of medicinal plants, focusing on their industrial applications. Dr. Kumar's academic credentials are further bolstered by his post-doctoral research at prestigious institutions such as the National Institute of Plant Genome Research and the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology. He is a prolific author with over 70 research and review papers, 30 book chapters, and seven notable books, including “Plant Stress Memory: Methods and Protocols (Springer), "Agricultural Biotechnology- Latest Research and Trends" (Springer) and "Ornamental Horticulture: Latest Cultivation Practices and Breeding" (Springer). His innovative contributions have led to the publishing of five Indian patents, and he has been honored with numerous awards, such as the Young Scientists Fellowship Award-2021 by ICMR and the Scientist's Pool Scheme Award-2020 by CSIR.

Ashish R. Warghat is currently working as Principal Scientist at CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur. He did his Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the Defence Institute of High-Altitude Research (DIHAR), Defence Research and Development Organization, Leh-Ladakh. His research interests are particularly on High Altitude Himalayan Medicinal Plants with the intervention in the field of Aeroponic and Hydroponic farming for metabolite-enriched plant biomass production and understanding of the mechanism of nutrients towards growth and development. He has published more than 45 research papers in high reputed international journals. He has developed 10 most significant technologies in the field of smart agriculture and transferred it to the industries. He has also contributed significantly in the area of start-ups and entrepreneurs’ generation and skill development activities and total of 12 incubatee were benefitted significantly. Currently, he is an associate editor in BMC Biology and BMC Biotechnology Journals.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets

Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.

Laptops and computers

You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.

eReaders and other devices

To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.

Flag as inappropriate