InnerPlant is pioneering the development of a novel class of biotechnology traits that digitize crop physiology through the creation of optical signals that can be measured using satellites. These living sensors harness plants’ natural physiology to give us actionable insights into the environment, stresses, and overall health of each plant across millions of acres. Plant stressors such as insects, fungi, and nutrient limitations reduce agricultural output at the cost of billions of dollars per year. By the time external symptoms are visible to farmers, it’s typically too late to prevent yield loss. In response, chemicals are applied prophylactically as a hedge against uncertainty. However, the broad, blanket use of chemicals exacts a toll on the soil and environment, in addition to increasing input costs. Ironically, the broad use of chemicals to reduce pathogen damage makes them increasingly less effective because of resistance, which puts additional pressure on yields. Unlike first-generation GMO traits where the value degraded over time due to the development of weed and insect resistance, the accumulation of Big Data through our smart seed ecosystem will enable increasing value creation as the platform matures. Phase I living sensors will report insect and fungal pressure in broadacre crops such as soybean and cotton enabling up to 75% reduction in pesticide application through targeted interventions. Phase II living sensors aim to unlock increased yields through individualized plant management and optimized individual nutrition. InnerPlant successfully demonstrated its ability to detect signals in daylight with tomato plants in several California fields. Work on its Phase I soybean and cotton products is well underway with Phase II crops also progressing in the lab. Ultimately the deployment of this new class of data trait will not only enable a much more sustainable and environmentally responsible farming system but will enable a much deeper understanding of the interactions between plants and ecosystems and help to realize the yield potential of each and every plant by listening to their unique needs.

Data traits: Improving farm sustainability by digitizing crop physiology using novel living sensors and scalable remote monitoring

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.