AgriTech Review

In the lush tapestry of tropical forests where biodiversity thrives and carbon is densely sequestered, a small evergreen tree known as Theobroma cacao holds a special place. Revered as the source of chocolate—the food of the gods, whose very name derives from the Greek words for god (theós) and food (brôma)—this tree has become the […]

A Scottish farmer is set to take on a gruelling 268-mile trek across some of Britain’s toughest terrain to raise funds for agricultural ment...

Chocolate is the food of the gods. The name of the tree from which the confection originates, Theobroma cacao, combines the Greek words for god (theós) and food (brôma). This small evergreen tree grows in tropical forests rich in both biodiversity and carbon.

arXiv:2605.00908v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: This paper presents a comparative evaluation of convolutional and transformer-based object detection architectures for early weed detection in realistic scenarios. Representative models from each paradigm are considered, including YOLOv26-nano, a recent variant of the YOLO family, and transformer-based approaches such as RTDETR and RF-DETR. Experiments were conducted on the GROUNDBASED_ WEED dataset, allowing performance to be evaluated in terms of detection accuracy and computational efficiency using metrics such as precision, recall, average precision, and inference speed. The results highlight a clear trade-off between efficiency and contextual modeling: CNN-based detectors achieve high performance at a lower computational cost, while transformer-based approaches offer better global context capture at the expense of higher resource demands. These results provide practical criteria for model selection in precision agriculture

In a groundbreaking advancement slated to reshape the future of medical diagnostics and therapeutics, researchers from Johns Hopkins University have unveiled a novel class of biodegradable, all-metal microrobots capable of performing intricate functions within the gastrointestinal system. These diminutive robotic agents, roughly the size of microbes, possess the unique ability to morph their shape post-ingestion, […]

Fuminori Arita once farmed iyokan, a Japanese citrus variety, but about 10 years ago he switched to growing avocados, revelling in the challenge of producing crops of what he describes as a “sensitive and difficult to grow” fruit. The 67-year-old is symbolic of efforts by the western Japanese city of Matsuyama in Ehime prefecture, long known primarily for citrus cultivation, to shift more to avocados, partly as a strategy to adapt to rising temperatures amid climate change. Given the challenge...

A swarm of tiny, shape-changing, all-metal robots might someday deliver drugs and capture biopsy samples painlessly and then safely dissolve without the need for extraction, according to a study presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026.

A Tennessee solar farm integrates cattle grazing using adjustable panels, offering potential income diversification as agricultural revenues decline across the United States.

If you're over the age of 10, the World Health Organization recommends that you consume at least 25 grams of fiber every day. The best fiber-containing foods come from plants: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes.

Corteva has renamed its news seed and genetics company as the company moves to split into two separate businesses.

A new CropLife/Purdue University survey looks at what factors influence ag retailers and the precision ag offerings they use. The post How Ag Retailers Evaluate Smart Tech Adoption appeared first on CropLife.

Cranfield University has launched a new soil and environmental online database and mapping tool, opening up detailed information about land in England and Wales. In collaboration with Defra, Cranfield's Land Information System (LandISPortal)—which includes the National Soil Map of England and Wales (NATMAP)—is now on a new platform and open access, free and available for everyone to use. The initiative delivers the commitment in the government's Land Use Framework to make this soil data open access.

Every year, millions suffer, and thousands lose their lives to infections that were once easily treatable with the right dose of medication. The drugs are the same; human physiology is the same; the only difference is that microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, have now developed resistance to drugs designed to kill them. This phenomenon, known as antimicrobial resistance, is rapidly rising, ringing sirens for emergency action across the globe.

Welsh farmers have warned that rising veterinary costs linked to the Sustainable Farming Scheme could deter participation, as uncertainty gr...

A decades-long experiment in a Massachusetts forest is uncovering unexpected behavior in soil carbon. After nearly 40 years, the longest-running soil warming experiment in the world is producing an unexpected finding. What was once considered long-term, “stable” carbon in forest soils is proving far less permanent. As temperatures rise, even these stubborn carbon reserves can [...]

A Revolutionary War era farm in Tennessee blocked TVA's power line using social media, petitions, and help from country star John Rich.

I’ll never stop gushing about 2-in-1 USB-C cables. They’re really nice to have because, at this point, I’ve amassed so many devices that charge via USB-C. It’s also common for more than one to need to be recharged at a time, which is where they come in handy. I can charge my Nintendo Switch 2 and work-issued MacBook Air, or my Google Pixel 9 Pro and Kindle, without taking up more than one port on the power adapter. A couple of models that offer up to 140W passthrough charging speeds are currently matching their lowest price to date — including Anker’s braided option, which is available from Amazon and Anker in black or white starting at $14.99 ($3 off). If you don’t mind paying a bit more for a slightly longer cable, Native Union’s recycled 6.5-foot Belt Cable, which features an animal-free leather strap, is down to $23.99 ($6 off) in black or a zebra-like pattern

Larry Dallas's farm in Central Illinois's Douglas County is as flat as it gets. That's a good thing for planting straight rows and maneuvering farm equipment in the field, but there's a major downside, too. "Heavier rain is hard for us to deal with because of the poorly drained soils and the lack of any roll to the ground. It's hard for the water to get away when the rain starts," Dallas said. "We have installed a lot of drainage tile trying to mitigate that."

Meta has partnered with Overview Energy, with the claim that 1 GW of energy could be sent to existing solar farms on earth by 2030, even when it's dark out.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a Salmonella infection outbreak across 13 states, linked to backyard poultry such as chickens and ducks.

What if farmers could see a pest outbreak coming before the insect ever had a chance to damage their crop? New research from Texas A&M AgriLife Research indicates that artificial intelligence can predict outbreaks much more accurately than traditional methods. The tool could dramatically improve how and when insect pest risks are identified and controlled.

A new study by a Texas A&M AgriLife Research agricultural economist offers fresh insight into a global problem hiding in plain sight: How can we measure household food waste when it is so hard to track consistently?

Humble Beginnings Along the Mississippi River In 1957, a small chemical manufacturing company quietly opened its doors in West Helena, Arkansas, a town situated along the Mississippi River just south ... Read More The post From Small Arkansas Startup to National Ag Leader: The Helena Story appeared first on AgNet West.

A Chinese actor who is well-known for playing dominant bosses in miniseries and has taken part in 200 such productions has become unemployed due to the impact of AI technology. In March, to make ends meet, Zhang Xiaolei, 28, began doing farm work in the northwestern province of Qinghai, Red Star News reported. Starting with some basic dancing skills, Zhang was introduced by his friend to a miniseries filming crew at the end of 2023. Since then, he has become a familiar face to viewers of...

President Trump has approved Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reversing earlier statements amid ongoing US-Iran tensions. FIFA President Gianni Infantino influenced the decision.

While the world is a big place, humans are making greater and greater demands on the same areas of land. "This means that, unless we use the same land to serve multiple needs and coordinate this effort through planning, it is unlikely that we will have enough land for conservation, food and energy," said Grace Wu, a professor in UC Santa Barbara's Environmental Studies Program.

Fallen leaves, which are discarded every year, have been transformed into a resource that can replace waste plastics, a major nuisance in rural areas. A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed biodegradable agricultural vinyl made from fallen leaves, presenting a new way to solve the problem of conventional plastic vinyl, which is a cause of soil pollution. The study is published in the journal Green Chemistry.

The Silent Threat: Radioactive Heavy Metals in Breast Milk and Their Impact on Infant Health In recent years, the scientific community has increasingly turned its focus to the subtle yet alarming presence of radioactive heavy metals in breast milk. While breastfeeding is universally recognized as the gold standard for infant nutrition, emerging evidence indicates an […]

Following the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, many people in society became more aware of, and concerned about, the choices made by introducing … The post European Union Politicization of Scientific Risk Assessments appeared first on SAIFood.

South Korea has been testing drone-robot deliveries to remote islands, though a commercial launch is still some way off.

New product launches reinforced Group's innovation pipeline, including next-gen trait technologies and new crop protection technologies across key markets. The post AI, Biologicals Power Syngenta’s Strong Start to 2026 appeared first on CropLife.

A new report from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) warns that biodiversity loss, alongside climate shocks and geopolitical conflict, is disrupting our food system, risking catastrophic impacts for the financial system and for society as a whole.

The service "is exploring how the emerging alternative-protein sector can help meet several objectives, including enhancing food supply chain resilience."

The service "is exploring how the emerging alternative-protein sector can help meet several objectives, including enhancing food supply chain resilience."

The service "is exploring how the emerging alternative-protein sector can help meet several objectives, including enhancing food supply chain resilience."

The service "is exploring how the emerging alternative-protein sector can help meet several objectives, including enhancing food supply chain resilience."

A new collaborative study from The University of Western Australia has found that partially replacing synthetic nitrogen fertilizer with low amounts of organic components can improve soil quality, crop productivity and nitrogen uptake.

No need to excavate an in-ground irrigation system once you install this fixture onto your home’s spigot—you just have to figure out how to use the connected app.

In the rich soil of every backyard, park, and playground across the globe, an astonishing microbial world thrives, dominated in part by an exceptionally prolific genus of bacteria known as Streptomyces. These filamentous soil bacteria are not only celebrated for producing the quintessential earthy scent following rainfall—a result of their metabolic byproduct geosmin—but also for […]

Drones are being deployed by volunteers to tackle rural crime in Nottinghamshire, in what police say is a UK first. The county has become...

In every backyard, park, and playground on Earth, the ground is teeming with a type of bacteria called Streptomyces—one of the most abundant organisms on the planet. While these dirt-dwelling microbes are known for producing that earthy odor that fills the air after rainfall, that familiar scent is only the tip of their chemical-producing iceberg.

Key areas of focus include addressing healthy diets, improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity, tackling climate change, strengthening animal health and welfare and advancing farm safety. Read more: €37m investment to boost research in agri-food, forest and bioeconomy sectors

GEMA welcomes the government's move to include E85 and E100 in emission norms, signaling a shift toward higher ethanol blends that bolster energy security, decarbonization, and grain-based rural economies.

arXiv:2604.26303v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Deep understanding of a field's soil moisture content is the leading indicator for predicting crop yields and making data driven decisions for irrigation and application of topical chemicals for drought resilience. Despite this importance, the cost of adopting and maintaining IoT infrastructure prevents modern farms from employing widespread real time soil moisture sensors. We present an end-to-end platform of buried battery-free sensor nodes and a mobile basestation that leverages the farmer's daily routine for data retrieval. Each node features a self-powered galvanic soil-moisture probe, employing a high impedance analog front end to enable durability. Operating entirely on harvested solar energy for up to 21 days on a single capacitor charge, each node collects soil moisture, temperature, and environment condition data. Using a predictable finite-state machine, handshake-based data exchanges occur with a basestation affixed to

Conflict in the Middle East could hamper Iran’s response to the devastating crop pest, fall armyworm, experts warn.

The prices of mineral fertilizers are rising. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB is working on alternative production methods: Researchers have developed various processes and demonstrated them on a pilot scale to recover nutrients from locally available waste streams. Fertilizers ready for immediate use can be obtained from digestion residues, manure, and wastewater, as the institute will show at IFAT in Munich in early May. This circular approach strengthens supply security and protects water bodies and the climate.

In modern agriculture, the application of fertilizers stands as a pivotal practice to guarantee robust crop yields and meet the growing food demand. Nonetheless, the unchecked or inefficient use of fertilizers frequently results in the excessive discharge of key nutrients—particularly nitrogen and phosphorus—into adjacent aquatic ecosystems. This nutrient runoff and leaching spur a cascade of […]

Water is fundamental to all life—contaminants are harmful to humans and the environment. Herbicides used in agriculture to control weeds present a particular challenge here. The most widely used herbicide in the world is glyphosate. Experts have differing views on its use. Some studies suggest potential risks such as carcinogenic effects in humans, nerve damage, and a negative impact on biodiversity.

English farmers shrank their environmental footprint between 2010 and 2021, with decreases in several key areas, including greenhouse gas emissions, fertilizer overuse and cattle populations, reports a new study by Yusheng Zhang and Adrian Collins of Rothamsted Research in the United Kingdom, published in PLOS One.

According to DJI, the FCC’s Dec 222 ruling has "staggering real-world consequences" and raises "serious constitutional concerns." The post DJI: FCC action could wipe out $1.5bn in US drone sales in 2026 appeared first on AgFunderNews.

I’ve been using a bird feeder camera for years and new disease warnings had me worried for warmer months — but this smart bird bath alternative and RSPB advice will give me my garden birdlife-watching fix, responsibly

A new study by researchers at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska offers a comprehensive national-scale assessment of irrigated agriculture in the United States in recent years. Published in Agricultural Water Management, the findings carry important implications for the future of food production, water policy, and rural livelihoods across the country.

With the right tech, even the smallest outdoor space can become a haven for wildlife, or the coolest spot for dining al fresco this summer.

New ag technologies promise to help in the effort to control herbicide-resistant weeds. The post Smart Tech Tools for Herbicides appeared first on CropLife.

In recent years, the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has emerged as a formidable challenge to global public health, with foodborne pathways increasingly recognized as critical conduits for transmission. A newly published study in Science in One Health introduces an innovative quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model that meticulously traces the journey of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing […]

Foo Yun Chee / Reuters: EU countries and lawmakers reach an impasse on a deal watering down the EU's AI Act due to some parties seeking exemptions for already regulated industries  —  EU countries and European Parliament lawmakers failed to reach a deal on watered-down landmark artificial intelligence rules …

After nearly four decades, the world's longest-running soil warming experiment is revealing a surprising result: even "stable" carbon in forest soils can break down as temperatures rise, releasing more CO₂ into the atmosphere. The findings are published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.

How do photosynthetic organisms harvest light so efficiently? To help answer this question, researchers have developed an ultrafast transient absorption microscope with sensitivity approaching the single-molecule level.

Chocolate is one of the world's most widely consumed foods. It is made from cacao beans grown by millions of smallholder farmers globally. High-quality cacao beans require optimal growing conditions, which are essential for producing good-quality chocolates. However, growing climate variability such as rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and prolonged dry spells, are making it harder to maintain healthy crops and stable yields.

In a groundbreaking advancement poised to transform global nutrition and agricultural sustainability, researchers have unveiled novel strategies to biofortify staple cereal crops such as rice, wheat, and maize. These initiatives are rooted in recent scientific insights into the metabolic and genetic mechanisms that regulate protein accumulation and amino acid profiles within cereal grains. The implications […]

A study conducted in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has demonstrated that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth (ADE)—an anthropogenic soil created by ancient Amazonian populations—can increase the height and diameter of the pink trumpet tree (Handroanthus avellanedae) by up to 55% and 88%, respectively. This tree also occurs in the Atlantic Forest. The research is published in the journal BMC Ecology and Evolution.

The genes that could help the world's crops survive drought, heat, and disease probably already exist. But much of this genetic diversity remains hidden within ancient plant varieties and forgotten seed collections, among millions of DNA differences that are difficult to spot. Now, a new way of reading crop genomes is helping scientists uncover these variations.

The exact origin of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is still a mystery, but researchers believe they are edging closer to the source of one of the most important food staples worldwide. Using genetic studies and ancient plant remains, an international team of scientists has narrowed the location and timeline to the Neolithic period(around 8,000 years ago) in Georgia, in the South Caucasus. They present their findings in a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

New BASF-Nutrien partnership connects digital tools and agronomy to unlock low-carbon opportunities for farmers across biofuel supply chains. The post BASF and Nutrien Collaborate on Expanding Farmer Access to Low-Carbon Biofuel Markets appeared first on CropLife.

A new study, conducted by researchers from the Netherlands and Germany, estimates that urban agriculture in European cities could produce up to 20 million tons of vegetables annually, representing roughly one-third of the region's current vegetable production. The study, published in the journal Sustainable Cities and Society, systematically analyzes the potential of urban agriculture for 840 cities across 30 European countries.

Rice production is heavily dependent on nitrogen fertilizers, particularly in China, where application rates are two to three times the global average. At the same time, a large amount of nitrogen is lost to the environment—mainly in the form of N2. Scientists widely assumed that fertilizer nitrogen was the primary source of this N2 loss—a conclusion that was reinforced by the technical challenge of distinguishing soil-emitted N2 from the atmospheric background.

In a groundbreaking study published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers led by Professor YAN Xiaoyuan from the Institute of Soil Science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have fundamentally revised our understanding of nitrogen cycling in flooded rice ecosystems. For decades, the scientific consensus held that the majority […]

Amid the vast expanse of the Pacific, Palmyra Atoll stands as a fragile bastion of ecological complexity, a pristine island ecosystem long celebrated for its intactness amid mounting global environmental degradation. This remote atoll, positioned equidistant between Hawaiʻi and American Samoa, is a natural laboratory for conservationists and evolutionary biologists alike. Recent groundbreaking research, soon […]

‘Slow Magic’ is the term coined for the economic returns on investment (ROI) in the agricultural sector which can take decades or longer to be … The post ‘Slow Magic’ – The Economic Benefits of Canadian Swine Research appeared first on SAIFood.

A new peer-reviewed study conducted by researchers at The University of Toledo and University of Missouri provides some of the first rigorous experimental evidence that goldfish—one of the world's most popular pets—can dramatically change freshwater ecosystems when released or they escape into the wild.

"We figured we could do things exponentially better and faster if we combined resources," says Appetronix founder Nipun Sharma. The post Appetronix acquires salad assembly robotics co Cibotica appeared first on AgFunderNews.

In the quest to unravel the extraordinary efficiency with which photosynthetic organisms harness solar energy, researchers have achieved a remarkable milestone. By developing a cutting-edge transient absorption microscope boasting sensitivity near the single-molecule level, scientists are now equipped to probe the ultrafast excitation dynamics within light-harvesting systems with unparalleled precision. This advancement promises to deepen […]

Palmyra Atoll, a remote, uninhabited speck of land, coral and sea halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa, is one of the healthiest, intact atolls on the planet—so ecologically sensitive that visiting researchers freeze their clothes at night to kill invasive species.

Spring means it’s back to work for your commercial property’s irrigation system. Like bears and bugs, it’s had the winter off.

A 60 Minutes Australia investigation reveals new allegations about Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch, including a 'designer baby project.' New Mexico's Truth Commission is investigating these claims.

Farmers and land managers now have free access to detailed soil data that could help shape cropping decisions, land use and long-term farm p...

From wearable technology to industrial heat recovery, thermoelectric generators which convert waste heat into electricity have an enormous range of potential applications. So far, however, designing high-performing versions of these devices has remained a painstaking task.

Across tropical agrarian landscapes, cacao cultivation faces mounting challenges owing to accelerating climate variability that threatens the stability of yields and the quality of the final harvest. In the global quest to sustain cacao productivity—integral not only to livelihoods but the cherished production of chocolate—a recent pioneering study conducted by researchers at Hasanuddin University in […]

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Welsh farmers risk falling behind the rest of the UK without access to gene editing, NFU Cymru has warned, as the Senedd election approaches...

CJ CheilJedang, the main food and biotechnology arm of CJ Group, has successfully produced garbage bags made from PHA, a biodegradable material developed through the company’s fermentation technology, marking the latest expansion of its commercial use. PHA, or polyhydroxyalkanoate, is produced by microorganisms that feed on plant-derived sugars such as those from sugarcane through a fermentation process. Unlike petroleum-based plastics, it biodegrades in both soil and seawater. Only a handful of companies worldwide can mass-produce PHA, and CJ CheilJedang is the sole domestic producer in Korea. The new bags match conventional garbage bags in tensile strength while offering 1.8 times greater elasticity, allowing them to hold large volumes of waste without tearing, the company said. CJ CheilJedang recently signed an agreement with Jung District office in Seoul and donated 350,000 bags in two sizes — 10 liters and 20 liters. The 10 liter bags will be used for road cleaning, while the 20

Space travel has taught us valuable lessons for living and working in outer space, specifically regarding how microgravity (often mistakenly called zero-gravity) impacts the human body during short- and long-term spaceflight. This includes decreased muscle and bone mass, fluid shifts, reduced heart rate, psychological health, compromised immune system, and radiation exposure. But with agencies like NASA aspiring to build a lunar base and establish a long-term presence on the Moon, and eventually Mars, how could space travel impact potentially having babies in space?

Researchers in Kenya are testing which climate-smart practices work for smallholder farms.

In recent years, the scientific community has begun to recognize the untapped potential of process water generated during hydrothermal carbonization—a byproduct historically regarded as waste. This liquid fraction, which can constitute up to 70% of the original feedstock volume, possesses a complex composition rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and diverse organic compounds. […]

In a groundbreaking advancement at the intersection of environmental science and occupational health, researchers have unveiled a sophisticated exposure scenario tailored specifically for farmworkers, aiming to quantify and mitigate their contact with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through soil contamination. This novel framework, detailed in a recent study led by Lupolt, Simones, and Gillooly, addresses […]

The conversion of Brazil's native biomes into agricultural areas has resulted in an estimated loss of 1.4 billion tons of soil carbon. This amount is equal to the emission of 5.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent, a unit of measurement used to standardize the emission of different greenhouse gases, and was calculated based on data collected from studies conducted over the past 30 years.

Fermeate uses optogenetics—precise control of gene expression with light—to turbocharge productivity in bioreactors, with minimal capex. The post Fermeate raises $2m to deliver “step change” in precision fermentation economics with optogenetics appeared first on AgFunderNews.

The Holy Grail, says Pam Marrone, is a long-lasting, broad-spectrum bioherbicide with pre- and post-emergent activity against resistant weeds. The post Pam Marrone targets resistant weeds with cocktails of microbial metabolites as bioherbicide space heats up appeared first on AgFunderNews.