The latest ground breaking Innovations related to Agriculture

Together with our friends at AGCUMEN we have put together an overview of some of the most cutting edge innovations in the past month which have the potential to impact agriculture and related technology/machinery.

A new framework that can predict crop yield with the help of satellite photos

The framework uses solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) to remotely measure photosynthetic energy conversion in plants and predict crop yield without relying on enormous amounts of high-quality data. This method is especially valuable for developing countries where data is scarce, and the impacts of climate change are severe, leading to dropping crop yields. The authors suggest that it can be used universally for any crop and can be employed to help food assistance organizations and nongovernmental agencies be more efficient in their aid provision, particularly in areas driven by agriculture. This approach could also be valuable for forecasting and targeting, establishing crop insurance, and even forecasting areas of poverty. Further research will be conducted to allow real-time usage of this tool to help farmers adjust their strategies and improve harvest productivity and health.

Read more here

Beer Yeast removes lead from water

Researchers have demonstrated that yeast encapsulated in hydrogel capsules can effectively absorb lead and other heavy metals from water through a process called biosorption. The hydrogel acts as a filter, allowing water to pass through while interacting with the yeast to remove lead. Once the water is clean, the yeast cells can be easily separated and removed from the water.

This method has the potential to be used for filtering drinking water in homes and scaled up for large-scale water treatment in treatment plants. The use of yeast as a bio-based and biodegradable material offers several advantages over traditional technologies for removing lead from water. It is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.

Read more here

Biological barrier that protects plants from diseases

Researchers from Wageningen University & Research and Leiden University have developed a biological barrier made of a sticky substance to protect plants from diseases and pests. When sprayed onto leaves, this sticky substance can trap pest insects and prevent them from causing damage to crops. This could potentially reduce the use of toxic chemical pesticides, which can be harmful to both the environment and human health.

Read more here

Hair-thin fabric that suppresses sound

Researchers have developed a hair-thin fabric that can reduce noise transmission in large spaces. This fabric contains a special fiber that vibrates when a voltage is applied, allowing it to suppress sound in two different ways.

Firstly, the vibrating fabric generates sound waves that interfere with unwanted noises, canceling them out similar to noise-canceling headphones. However, conventional noise-canceling headphones are not effective in large spaces like rooms or planes.

The second technique employed by the fabric is to hold it still, which suppresses vibrations necessary for sound transmission. This helps to prevent noise from being transmitted through the fabric and reduces the volume. This approach allows for noise reduction in larger spaces such as rooms or cars.

The researchers used common materials like silk, canvas, and muslin to create these noise-suppressing fabrics. This makes them practical for implementation in real-world spaces. For example, the fabrics could be used to create dividers or thin walls in open workspaces, helping to prevent sound from traveling through.

Read more here

Predict Crop Yields through satellite images

Using satellite images to predict crop yields by measuring solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) could be a valuable tool, especially in regions with limited access to high-quality data. This breakthrough has the potential to help address food insecurity and assess the impact of climate risks on agricultural productivity. It’s exciting to see how technology and research are being utilized to benefit global agriculture.

Read more here