Closed-Loop LLM Co-Pilots for Digital Agriculture

Abstract

This study evaluates the application of Large Language Models (LLMs) in complex biological systems, evolving from data analysis to autonomous, AI-guided experimentation. The framework is driven by data from a 49-channel phytosensor network, encompassing multispectral, electrochemical, and dielectric modalities. To enhance accessibility, the system provides real-time natural-language interpretation for both specialists and non-experts. However, its core advantage lies in the transition from human-in-the-loop analysis to autonomous control. Processing biophysical data, the LLM evaluates plant physiology and triggers hardware actuators to optimize microclimates, execute phenotyping protocols, or induce controlled stress scenarios. This closed-loop architecture establishes a direct AI-biology interface, enabling data-driven exploration of complex biosystems and ecologies. The framework was validated across three case studies, based on a vertical farm and a single-plant setup and deciphered complex micro- and macro-fluctuations in plant physiology. Agents in a production-scale deployment executed multi-parameter optimization, balancing biomass accumulation, chlorophyll content, and energy consumption. The LLM processed biosensing telemetry to modulate full-spectrum, 450 nm, and 660 nm lighting at 2-hour intervals. Compared to periodic control, the system in minimal-time mode reduced the production cycle by 35%. In the energy-optimization mode, it reduced energy consumption by 18% with only a marginal increase in cultivation time, exploiting physiological inertia via light pulses. Finally, the agents autonomously developed an unforeseen strategy of dark-induced chlorophyll accumulation, resulting in a 67.9% energy saving. This framework transforms LLMs into autonomous co-pilots for digital agriculture, improving the cost-to-value ratio and lowering computational and expert-labor constraints.