Also in this week’s farm technology news: Biopesticide startup AgroSpheres raises $37 million for sustainable crop production, and Syngenta adds generative AI to its Cropwise platform.
Chiquita breeds a disease-resistant banana
Fruit giant Chiquita introduced a banana hybrid that is resistant to two types of devastating fungal diseases, calling it “a breakthrough in sustainable banana production.”
The Yelloway One hybrid banana is the first to combine resistance to fusarium wilt of banana, known as TR4, and black leaf streak disease, also called black sigatoka.
The new variety is part of Chiquita’s Yelloway technology initiative launched in 2020. The program is producing test hybrids in partnership with researchers to create a banana that’s more resilient to disease and climate pressures.
“The mission of the Yelloway initiative is to develop banana varieties that are resistant to the diseases endangering the world’s banana supply, while maintaining the familiar look, feel, and shelf life of the beloved Cavendish banana,” Chiquita said in a statement. “Yelloway One is the first of its kind—ushering in a new era of banana cultivation.”
The Yelloway One will soon undergo field trials in the Philippines and Indonesia, which are both significantly impacted by TR4 and Black Sigatoka. The variety was bred in partnership with KeyGene, MusaRadix and Wageningen University and Research.
Biopesticide startup raises $37M to expand manufacturing
AgroSpheres, a maker of biodegradable crop protection products, raised $37 million from investors to expand market access for its sustainable pesticide alternatives.
This new capital will support product development and investments in just-in-time biomanufacturing facilities, according to a release. It will also support AgroSpheres’ patented AgriCell manufacturing technology, which it has leveraged in partnerships with companies like FMC to accelerate breakthroughs in sustainable crop production.
AgroSpheres said its products degrade into organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphate that is “restorative for plants and soil.” The products can perform in a broad range of environmental conditions and contain no microplastics or petrochemicals.
The funding round was led by Zebra Impact Ventures, and included other investors such as Lewis and Clark AgriFood and FMC Ventures.
“AgroSpheres represents a new perspective that answers the call for sustainability in the way we farm and the way we build companies,” Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Ameer Shakeel said in a statement. “Building our manufacturing facilities, launching our products and forging strategic alliances are on the horizon.”
Syngenta adds generative AI to farm management platform Cropwise
New updates to Syngenta’s Cropwise farm management platform will allow farmers to use artificial intelligence to ask for agronomic advice or forecast their crop yield potential.
Cropwise AI is a generative artificial intelligence-based system using 20 years of weather history, soil conditions, more than 80,000 observations on crop growth and historical yield data from on-farm trials. Farmers can ask the platform for tailored recommendations about input applications, pest and disease control or other strategies to boost yields.
“By combining our deep agronomic knowledge with cutting-edge AI capabilities, we are bringing the power of GenAI to agriculture and empowering growers to make data-driven decisions,” Feroz Sheikh, Syngenta’s chief information and digital officer, said in a statement.
Looking ahead, Syngenta plans updates that will leverage computer vision and image recognition to detect pests and diseases. The company is also looking to integrate sustainability analytics to quantify the environmental impact of farming practices.
Cropwise AI is currently available to a select group of customers in the United States and Brazil, and Syngenta plans to expand the offering to Europe “in the near future,” according to a statement.
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