Innovation & trends

Image: R&D project evaluating the effect of light treatments on the growth of basil plants. The team at Square Roots brings their knowledge of the grow platform together with the experiment goals of the company's partners.

Let there be dark: Square Roots on why it’s farming without light

By Oliver Morrison

US indoor farmer Square Roots is growing plants in the dark using gene edited (CRISPR) technology. The move could make indoor farming significantly more viable and sustainable, especially in low and middle-income countries, by reducing energy needs and...

Biotech company FabricNano hopes it can utilise enzymes to make the enhanced rock weathering process more efficient and scalable.

Enhanced rock weathering: could enzymes be key to smooth scaling

By Oliver Morrison

There is much excitement surrounding the potential benefits for carbon capture and soil improvements offered by the process of enhanced rock weathering. However, it is at present seen as too expensive to scale. A London biotech is therefore applying enzymes...

Image: Getty/merrymoonmary

UV light signalling: the next frontier in plant science?

By Oliver Morrison

New Zealand-based BioLumic uses ultraviolet (UV) light to boost the growth, yield, and quality of various crops, including corn, soybeans, lettuce and cannabis. It is now bringing its tech to ryegrass in an attempt to manage the country’s notorious methane...

The new bioinsecticide von Bayer can be used in oilseed rape and cereals. Image: Getty/AlpamayoPhoto

Bayer to launch first bioinsecticide for arable crops

By Oliver Morrison

Via a new agreement with UK-based R&D company AlphaBio Control, Bayer has gained exclusive rights to market the first ever biological insecticide which will help farmers control pests in arable crops. The product is expected to launch in 2028.

Image: Getty/Suzifoo

World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit Roundup

What can make leafy greens actually taste good? Gene editing can

By Oliver Morrison

US health-focused food and agriculture company Pairwise is using one of the most powerful R&D advances in a generation – CRISPR – to develop compelling products that benefit consumers, growers and agricultural workers alike. As such, it believes it...

Image: Getty/Susumu Yoshioka

Innovation insider

Japan wants to promote smart agriculture, fast

By Oliver Morrison

Agri-tech spend is lagging in the land of the rising sun. But amid the looming threats of depopulation and ageing, the government is looking to new styles of agriculture that can boost productivity, sustainability and strengthen national food security....

Image: Aphea.Bio has so far launched two products: a biostimulant seed treatment for wheat and a maize biostimulant. Image: Getty/Roelof Bos

How biologicals can win where GMs didn't

By Oliver Morrison

Aphea.Bio’s recently appointed chairman Hadyn Parry predicts ‘huge’ growth for biostimulants and biofungicides. These are typically GM-free of course, but the market is well-placed to avoid the mistakes of the past, he tells AgTechNavigator.

Image: SaliCrop/Guy Shery

Seed enhancement tech aims to make deserts bloom

By Oliver Morrison

Israeli desert technology specialist SaliCrop has developed a novel, non-GMO approach to bolster seed resilience to abiotic stresses brought on by extreme climate challenges. According to SaliCrop, the solution can help boost crop cultivation in arid...

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