US vertical farming giant AppHarvest Inc has bought up Root AI, an artificial intelligence farming start-up that provides intelligent robots to help manage high-tech indoor farms. Following the US$60 million purchase, Root AI and its robotic universal harvester, Virgo, will now provide AppHarvest with a baseline of harvesting support, working alongside crop care specialists focused on more complex tasks, across its network of vast indoor farms, based in the Appalachia region, which produce beefsteak tomatoes and tomatoes on the vine. AppHarvest anticipates a game-changing advantage from its acquisition of Root AI’s technology – and in particular in the data collected…
Author: Anthony James
Anthony James
With over 20 years experience in editorial management and content creation for a broad spectrum of market-leading B2B magazines and websites in the transport and technology sectors, Anthony has written news and features covering everything from airport security to autonomous vehicles, and stadium design to sustainable energy.
Abu Dhabi-based Pure Harvest Smart Farms has secured US$50 million in growth funding through a unique, Islamic structured finance solution – a highly structured ‘sukuk’ with embedded warrants – led by SHUAA Capital. The sukuk comes on the heels of a successful second growth equity raise of US$10 million, led by Sancta Capital in January 2021. Founded in Abu Dhabi to provide the Middle East region with local, sustainable food sources, Pure Harvest, which will soon complete its third hybrid greenhouse growing system within the Emirates, is currently constructing its beachhead in Saudi Arabia, and has announced a further €39…
A study conducted by NovaCropControl has found Moleaer’s oxygen-enriched nanobubbles improve root health, nutrient uptake, and ultimately tomato size while maintaining nutrient density. An industry-leading research and testing centre based in the Netherlands, NovaCropControl independently evaluated the impact of chemical-free nanobubble enriched irrigation water on tomato fruit growth, pathogen control, and nutrient uptake. In a side-by-side study, NovaCropControl irrigated plants with technology provided by Moleaer, a global leader in nanobubble technology. It found that plants irrigated with Moleaer’s nanobubbles had more efficient nutrient uptake and water usage; improved capillary root development; increased resilience to high heat; and reduced Pythium levels…
US vertical farming specialist Kalera has acquired Vindara Inc – the first company to develop seeds specifically designed for use in vertical indoor farm environments as well as other controlled environment agriculture (CEA) farming methods. Vindara, based in Research Triangle, North Carolina, USA, uses genomics, machine learning, and computational biology along with traditional breeding methods to meet customer demand for produce that is non-GMO, nutritious, high-yielding, and delicious. Explicitly intended for high-tech indoor growing environments, Vindara seeds offer growers the opportunity to capitalise on significantly higher yield potential, production efficiencies and product customisation – in a fraction of the time…
Berlin-based Infarm, a vertical farming company whose produce is already available in thousands of stores in 30 cities across 10 countries, has opened the first of a new generation of high-capacity, automated modular growing centres – a local farm and distribution centre in one, which it says will be capable of generating the crop-equivalent of up to 10,000m² of farmland, with up to 400 times higher efficient food production than soil-based agriculture. The cloud-connected, high-yield growing centres will join Infarm’s expanding global network of self-learning farms that improve plant yield, taste, and nutritional value constantly, while further reducing the use…
Yasai AG, a vertical farming start-up spun out from ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich) has entered into a strategic agreement with Helsinki-based iFarm and Netherlands-based Logiqs B.V. to help it establish Zurich’s first vertical farm. Yasai says the facility will focus on growing herbs such as basil, mint, coriander, rosemary, rocket, chives, shiso green, and mizuna. Yasai AG has selected Logiqs and iFarm as technology partners in the construction of a pilot facility that will provide 673m² of growing area, with a design capacity of 20 tonnes of fresh herbs per year. Logiqs will supply automated…
Texas-based Verano365 has launched a new adjuvant that improves fertiliser efficiency, benefitting greenhouse growers’ return on investments in applied nutrient inputs. Evofactor uses the company’s proprietary technology, OpusMAX, to promote nutrient availability to plants when it is used with water-soluble fertilisers as part of a regular fertigation schedule. OpusMAX is a first-of-its-kind delivery system that is anchored by a charged particle, according to the company. This particle has an attraction force that acts as a host or carrier, which facilitates the self-assembly of supramolecular structures. When OpusMAX localises active chemical or biological molecules into these structures, the impacts are gains…
DeHaat, a technology-based platform offering end-to-end agricultural services to farmers in India, has raised US$30 million in Series C funding, led by Prosus Ventures (formerly Naspers Ventures). RTP Global co-invested in the round with participation from existing investors, Sequoia India, FMO, Omnivore & AgFunder. Based in Gurgaon and Patna, the DeHaat platform is a one-stop destination for small farmers for all their agricultural needs, including distribution of high-quality agricultural inputs, customized farm advisory, access to financial services, and market linkages for selling their produce. Digital access Currently operating across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha, DeHaat provides farmers with access…
Loughborough University spinout Zayndu Ltd has launched Aurora Z10, which it claims is the world’s first ‘activated air’ seed sterilisation system. The new seed cleaning solution debuts at the ‘Keeping it clean with agri-tech innovation’ Agri-TechE event*, being staged online today. The system provides a dry alternative to chemical treatment or washing. It enables high-value seeds such as tomato or fast-growing seeds like rocket – to be disinfected for the first time. Seed cleaning reduces the pathogen load on the seed and protects the soil from contamination with seedborne fungal infection. However, many of the chemicals widely used for disinfection…
John Deere has improved the look, feel and navigation features of its popular cloud-based system — Operations Center — to bring new levels of clarity and organisation to farm data management. A new Work Planner feature also enables farmers to streamline their work setup experience and help operators begin working more quickly in the field. Farmers can now use the Operations Center to collect and securely store their field, crop, and machine data from their connected machines for easy analysis and decision making. Since the system is cloud-based, it eliminates the need for transferring data via USB sticks. “We…
