Digital twin technology empowering plant factories: evolution and system construction

In response to challenges posed by global population growth, climate change, and diminishing arable land resources, plant factories have gained significant attention as an efficient and environmentally friendly agricultural production model．As a core technology of Industry 4.0, digital twin technology enables dynamic monitoring, prediction, and optimization by virtually mapping physical systems and integrating real-time data with simulation models．Application and developmental trajectory of digital twin technology in plant factories were explored．A comprehensive system framework for digital twin plant factories system framework encompassing physical layer, data layer, model layer, application layer, and interaction layer was proposed．To address existing challenges and promote sustainable development of digital twin technology within agricultural engineering field．