ICL, Evogene Ltd,Lavie Bio Ltd, Puna Bio, Corteva, UbiQD, First Solar, Biolumic, Ki Tua Fund, UC ANR Innovate, Attune Agriculture, DPH Biologicals, Windfall Bio, SynTech Research Group, Hortinova, Silal, AgriTech Academy, Aigen, Bowles Farming Company, Sentera, BloomX

Anna: 00:00

Welcome to another episode of AgTech Digest, your go-to source for the latest in agricultural technology. In today's episode, we’re diving into the cutting-edge developments redefining crop protection and precision farming. Major acquisitions and funding rounds are reshaping the landscape, with key players advancing biological seed treatments, quantum dot applications, and light-activated seed trait platforms. New investments are driving sustainable solutions in fertilizer development and boosting yield potential with innovative pest management strategies. We'll also highlight progress in regulatory streamlining, facility launches dedicated to ag innovation, and smart robotics tackling weed control with AI and solar power. Finally, we explore pollination tech that mimics nature to overcome pollinator decline and the latest defenses against devastating plant viruses. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s get started.

Anna: 00:59

The crop protection and plant science sector saw a wave of impactful updates this week, from major acquisitions to new funding rounds and promising product trials. To begin, Evogene Limited and ICL signed a definitive agreement for ICL to acquire a majority stake in Lavie Bio. The transaction includes Lavie Bio’s development team, its proprietary BDD (Biology Driven Design) platform, extensive strain bank, and data assets. While Evogene retains its equity stake, Lavie Bio’s core technologies and staff will transition to ICL. The deal is anticipated to close in the second quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals. Next, Puna Bio secured new investment led by Corteva through the Corteva Catalyst platform. The funding will support the advancement of non-GMO biological seed treatments developed using extremophiles. These treatments are aimed at improving nutrient absorption and enhancing stress tolerance in crops. The partnership also offers Puna Bio access to global markets and new scaling opportunities. Meanwhile, UbiQD announced the close of a $20 million Series B funding round led by Phoenix Venture Partners. The capital will be used to expand its manufacturing capacity, boost research and development, and support commercial growth. UbiQD’s quantum dot technology has applications in agriculture, solar energy, and displays. The company also announced the acquisition of Blue Dot Systems and a new collaboration with First Solar to further extend its market reach. In a similar move, Biolumic secured an $8.3 million Series B Extension round led by Ki Tua Fund and other investors. The funding will accelerate the deployment of its xTraits platform for major crops, which uses ultraviolet light to trigger specific seed traits without genetic modification. Biolumic aims to capture a 10 % share of the non-transgenic seed trait market within the next five years. Additionally, UC ANR Innovate was awarded a $974,855 Catalyst grant under the California Jobs First initiative. The funding supports the early-stage development of a new facility known as “The Plant,” located in California’s Sacramento Valley. This facility will focus on sustainable agriculture, food technology, and climate-resilient solutions, with planned activities including architectural planning, environmental evaluations, and strategic partnership building. In the field of pest management, a study conducted by Florida Ag Research compared the performance of Attune Agriculture’s Entrapment insecticide with traditional crop rotation strategies in strawberry production. The results were striking: Entrapment increased yields by 195 to 234 pounds per acre while reducing input costs by 16 % when compared to organic systems, highlighting the benefits of yield-focused pest control solutions. On the fertilizer front, DPH Biologicals shared third-party data showcasing the effectiveness of its TerraTrove AmplAphex biofertilizer. Field trials demonstrated yield improvements of 5.8 to 6 bushels per acre across various applications. The product also showed strong potential to decrease dependency on starter fertilizers. Likewise, Windfall Bio announced that its Foundation fertilizer, derived from methane, led to improved nitrogen uptake when compared to animal-derived fertilizers. The Foundation product is plant-based, offers an 11 % nitrogen content, and boasts a low salt index. Additional field trials are already in the pipeline to support expanded commercialization. Wrapping up this week’s industry moves, SynTech Research Group completed a merger with GLP Estrategias Avanzadas, a regulatory firm based in Mexico. The merger strengthens SynTech’s regulatory services and field research capabilities throughout Latin America. It also aims to streamline agricultural input registration processes and broaden market access across the region.

Anna: 05:01

This week’s editorial takes a deep dive into one of the most pressing challenges facing North American greenhouse tomato growers—Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV)—which is causing serious concern across the industry. The virus is known to trigger devastating yield losses ranging from 30 % to 70 %, while also leading to major trade disruptions across North America. A key complication is the difficulty of early detection due to ToBRFV’s latency and its ability to persist on surfaces, with total industry losses potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. In response, growers are implementing a series of biosecurity measures and innovations to contain the threat. These include the use of certified virus-free seeds, strict worker hygiene protocols, comprehensive disinfection routines, improved workflow management, and prioritizing early detection strategies. Among these, UV-C disinfection of drain water is emerging as a promising additional safeguard to further reduce the risk of viral spread. At the same time, breeding programs are making headway in developing resistant tomato varieties. Hortinova is at the forefront of this effort, working on ToBRFV-resistant tomatoes that do not compromise on key grower and consumer priorities such as flavor, yield, and stress tolerance.

Anna: 06:25

Precision agriculture and agtech innovation are in the spotlight this week with several impactful updates shaping the future of farming technologies. Silal has launched the Innovation Oasis (iO) in the UAE, a 300,000-square-meter facility dedicated to advancing food security and agricultural technology. The site is equipped with laboratories, growth chambers, and controlled environments, focusing on key areas such as climate-resilient farming, IoT precision systems, artificial intelligence, robotics, and saltwater-resistant crops. In addition, Silal introduced the Advance AgriTech Academy, a new platform for specialized training in collaboration with international institutions to build expertise in cutting-edge agtech solutions. Meanwhile, Aigen has unveiled the Element Gen2, its next-generation autonomous weeding robot designed to support cotton, soy, and sugar beet fields. This upgraded version features improved solar and battery systems, AI-powered stereo vision, modular all-wheel drive, and mesh networking technology. Field trials are scheduled for the 2025 season in partnership with Bowles Farming Company, and orders are already open for the 2026 growing season. In parallel, Sentera announced that its 2025 Early Access Program for the SMARTSCRIPT Weeds platform has reached full enrollment. This program combines drone imagery and artificial intelligence to create field-specific weed management prescriptions. The participant group spans growers, universities, equipment manufacturers, and agricultural retailers. Field trials have reported herbicide usage reductions of up to 70 %, showcasing the powerful role of data-driven weed management in modern precision agriculture.

Anna: 08:15

This week’s interview spotlights an innovative response to the global pollination crisis, as BloomX tackles pollination challenges with its cutting-edge precision bio-mimicking technology. In response to the worldwide decline in natural pollinators, BloomX has developed a solution that replicates the function of pollinating insects by leveraging electrostatic forces and targeted vibrations to effectively pollinate crops. This technology has seen strong adoption in high-value crops such as blueberries and avocados, with successful implementation already underway across Latin America, Israel, and South Africa. Moreover, trials conducted in Peru have demonstrated significant improvements in both yield and fruit uniformity, reinforcing the potential of this tech-driven approach. Looking ahead, BloomX is planning to scale its impact further by expanding into new geographic markets and launching a next-generation robotic solution specifically designed for tree crops, marking a major step forward in addressing pollination gaps through innovation.

Anna: 09:17

In other Agtech news, this week highlights several notable developments across innovation, regulation, and partnerships. Hexagro, an Italy-based agtech startup, has entered liquidation after being unable to close a recent funding round, ending an eight-year effort to make urban farming more accessible. Meanwhile, Landus and Talusag have initiated the first field trial in North America using locally produced green ammonia fertilizer, with corn planting underway in Boone, Iowa. In addition, The Directions Group has entered into a strategic partnership with Idealyst Innovation, aiming to expand data-driven support for agribusinesses and producers. Furthermore, North Dakota HB 1318 was signed into law by Governor Kelly Armstrong, making the state the first to align its crop protection label requirements explicitly with those approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Moreover, Farmers Edge has partnered with Taurus Agricultural Marketing Inc. to expand access to its laboratory services across Canada, enhancing soil health and fertility solutions for agronomists, ag retailers, and growers. Lastly, Agreena launches the Carbon Credit Confidence initiative to enhance transparency in soil carbon credit markets.

Anna: 10:33

Looking ahead to upcoming industry events, mark your calendars for the 2-Day Plant Empowerment Workshop taking place from May 6th to 7th, 2025 in the UK. Then, the 2nd International Electronic Conference on Entomology will run from May 19th to 21st. Following that, Reuters Events: Transform Food & Agriculture Europe 2025 is set to bring together key stakeholders in the sector. Later in the year, the Commercial UAV Expo will be held from September 2nd to 4th in Las Vegas, USA, while the Taiwan Smart Agriweek is scheduled from September 3rd to 5th in Taiwan. Also, the Global Vertical Farming Show 2025 will take place from September 10th to 11th in Dubai, UAE. Rounding out the season, SPACE will be hosted from September 16th to 18th, 2025 in France.

Anna: 11:24

That wraps up today’s episode of Agtech Digest. We explored a wide range of developments driving the future of agriculture—from breakthroughs in plant protection and seed trait enhancement to the rise of autonomous tools and precision systems supporting smarter farming decisions. We also covered the expansion of biosecurity measures, advances in biological and methane-based fertilizers, and the growing integration of AI, robotics, and sustainable inputs across global markets. With new research trials showing measurable yield gains, early-stage grants fueling facility development, and powerful collaborations shaping the future of agtech education, the momentum in the sector is undeniable. It’s clear that agriculture is entering a new era—one marked by innovation, resilience, and a renewed focus on long-term food system sustainability. Thanks for joining me—I'm Anna, signing off. Stay inspired and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible!