Tag Archives: Agriculture

South African startup Aerobotics raises $17M to scale its AI-for-agriculture platform

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As the global agricultural industry stretches to meet expected population growth and food demand, and food security becomes more of a pressing issue with global warming, a startup out of South Africa is using artificial intelligence to help farmers manage their farms, trees, and fruits. Aerobotics is a South African startup that provides intelligent tools […] Continue reading South African startup Aerobotics raises $17M to scale its AI-for-agriculture platform→

Pesticide alternative coats crops to hide them from insects

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While pest insects can have a devastating effect on crops, pesticides can likewise cause a great deal of damage to the environment. That’s where CropCoat comes in, as it’s designed not to kill harmful insects, but to “hide” plants from them instead.Con… Continue reading Pesticide alternative coats crops to hide them from insects→

Ground-penetrating radar may be an easier alternative to soil sampling

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Ordinarily, if you want to know how soil properties change at different depths, you have to extract soil core samples. Scientists have now determined that the same data can be obtained much more easily, using ground-penetrating radar.Continue ReadingCa… Continue reading Ground-penetrating radar may be an easier alternative to soil sampling→

Immunity-boosting silica nanoparticles could replace pesticides

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Pesticides may indeed kill plant pathogens, but they’re also harmful to the environment. Newly developed nanoparticles may provide a more eco-friendly alternative, as they boost the immune systems of crop plants, then harmlessly dissolve.Continue Readi… Continue reading Immunity-boosting silica nanoparticles could replace pesticides→

Plant-assessing leaf-clip sensor could be a big help to farmers

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If crop plants aren’t receiving enough nutrients, they’ll typically have lower-than-normal nitrogen levels. A portable new device could allow farmers to check those levels on the spot, so they can start addressing the problem as soon as possible.Contin… Continue reading Plant-assessing leaf-clip sensor could be a big help to farmers→

Electric, autonomous Monarch Tractor is billed as the world’s smartest

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When it comes to targets for autonomous machinery, those carrying out repetitive tasks on farmland are ripe for the picking. The newly introduced self-operating Monarch Tractor is designed to show how it’s done, being billed as the world’s smartest tra… Continue reading Electric, autonomous Monarch Tractor is billed as the world’s smartest→

Tree microbes could help crops draw phosphorous from fertilized soil

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Agricultural fertilizers typically contain phosphorous, as it’s essential to growing plants. Unfortunately, though, it can become “locked” in the soil, and thus not available to crops. That said, it turns out that the addition of a microbe could unlock… Continue reading Tree microbes could help crops draw phosphorous from fertilized soil→

Genetically modified wheat boasts 11-percent higher yield

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Wheat is one of the planet’s most widely grown crops, so any increases in its grain yield could go a long way towards reducing world hunger. That’s where a new variety of the plant comes in, as its yield is reportedly up to 11 percent higher than that … Continue reading Genetically modified wheat boasts 11-percent higher yield→

Earthworm-inspired robots may be coming to a farm near you

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If you want to know the local soil conditions, it would be great if you could just ask an earthworm. Given that that’s an impossibility, though, scientists are now working on the next-best thing – earthworm-inspired soil-analyzing agricultural robots.C… Continue reading Earthworm-inspired robots may be coming to a farm near you→

Self-watering SMAG-soil pulls moisture from the air

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Generally speaking, you don’t see a wide variety of crops being grown in arid regions – especially when irrigation isn’t practical and/or affordable. That could be about to change, though, with the development of what’s being described as “self-waterin… Continue reading Self-watering SMAG-soil pulls moisture from the air→