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Editor’s note: Agtech Seedlings is a weekly summary highlighting the latest developments in agricultural technology, with a focus on venture capital, product launches, and significant innovations. Have news to share? Contact us.
Maine Farmland Trust Launches Climate Change Assessment Tool for Farms
The Maine Farmland Trust has introduced a new interactive tool called the Climate Impact Assessment Mapping Tool, designed to pinpoint climate threats and effects on individual farms, assisting farmers in future planning.
This tool utilizes geospatial data, climate science, and geological insights to produce risk assessment reports that evaluate water availability, floodplain vulnerabilities, temperature and precipitation changes, sea level rise projections, and soil erosion risks. Each property is assigned a weighted overall score to indicate its susceptibility to climate change.
As the effects of climate change intensify, extreme weather events, including severe heatwaves, heavy rainfalls, and droughts have become increasingly common.
“The sustainability of farmers’ livelihoods, our food supply, and the economic health of our communities rely on adaptable farms that can mitigate and recover from a changing climate,” stated Tricia Rouleau, the trust’s director of farm networks, as reported by Mainebiz. “There is a significant interest among Maine farmers to adopt climate-resilient strategies; however, effective planning and implementation require time and resources, and solutions must be tailored to each specific situation.”
This tool is part of the trust’s initiative to support farmers in exploring and applying new practices and infrastructure that enhance resilience against climate change. The program caters to a diverse range of requirements and ambitions, providing risk assessments, financing options, and planning assistance customized to each farm’s unique needs.
The expansion of the climate resilience initiative was propelled by a three-year, $1 million grant from TD Bank Group. The mapping tool was developed with assistance from the Land Trust Alliance and the Open Space Institute’s Land and Climate Grant Program.
New Research Shows Sunflowers Can Remove Heavy Metal Contaminants from Soil
Researchers from Lead City University in Ibadan, Nigeria report that sunflowers may effectively remediate cadmium from soils contaminated with heavy metals, restoring their viability for agriculture.
Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury, and chromium are notorious for their toxicity, persistence, and ability to accumulate in living organisms. In agricultural contexts, these metals can build up to hazardous levels in the soil, adversely affecting crop health and yield.
Despite the risks, certain urban areas have no choice but to utilize land tainted with heavy metals, until now.
“In numerous developing nations, urban areas may seem indifferent to farming on sites contaminated by industrial waste and harmful metals such as lead and cadmium, primarily due to limited land availability,” the research team in Ibadan noted.
Cadmium, which produces vibrant yellow, orange, and maroon hues, is commonly a component in paints found in Nigeria and is also used in batteries, dyes, plastics, and other products. Its exposure is linked to a range of health issues, including heart disease and bone loss, with heightened risks for children and vulnerable populations.
Cadmium is prevalent in areas using certain phosphate fertilizers and regions with industrial activity. In the U.S., the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain areas show elevated cadmium levels, and an FDA analysis revealed increased concentrations of cadmium in spinach, lettuce, sunflower seeds, potato chips, and wheat cereals.
To conduct their research, scientists utilized phytoremediation, a strategy that employs plants to extract pollutants from the soil. Their findings showed that sunflowers were capable of extracting 53% of cadmium from both the topsoil and subsoil of the experimented plot.
Ohalo’s Plant Breeding Breakthrough Offers Promise for Higher Crop Yields
Ohalo Genetics, based in California, has announced a groundbreaking plant breeding innovation that could lead to “unmatched improvements” in crop production.
The biotech firm’s new Boosted Breeding system fundamentally changes plant reproduction, enhancing existing breeding practices. This enables both parent plants to transmit their entire genetic information to the next generation, resulting in “boosted” plants that possess all advantageous characteristics from each parent, rather than a mix of traits.
The Boosted Breeding advancement follows nearly five years of intensive research into plant reproductive biology, with a total investment exceeding $50 million, as reported by AgTech Navigator. Ohalo has developed unique proteins and methodologies that disrupt reproductive pathways, resulting in “boosted” plants that are larger and healthier, with potential yield increases of up to 100%.
“After years of exploration and testing, we’ve demonstrated that this technology can overcome numerous agricultural challenges, unlocking extraordinary prospects for both farmers and consumers,” said Jud Ward, CTO of Ohalo, in a press release.
With this technique, the entire genetic makeup is delivered from each “boosted” parent, ensuring that every seed generated is genetically consistent. This innovation allows for the creation of uniform seeds that farmers can directly sow, moving away from traditional vegetative propagation common in many crops, such as potatoes.
These benefits, which are typically achieved through extensive breeding cycles, can now be accomplished more rapidly with Ohalo’s innovation, and according to CEO Dave Friedberg.
“The pressure on agricultural systems has reached unprecedented levels, with the UN estimating that food production must increase by at least 50% in the next 25 years,” as Friedberg expressed to Feed & Grain. “Boosted Breeding will facilitate agricultural adaptation and elevate productivity, enhancing crops’ ability to thrive in changing environments while minimizing agricultural impact.”
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Maria Sanchez completed her Bachelor’s degree in Plant Sciences from the University of California, Davis, in the USA. Her studies focused on plant genetics and biotechnology, with an emphasis on developing disease-resistant crop varieties. Maria has contributed to several research projects aimed at improving crop resilience to climate change and is now pursuing her Master’s degree in Plant Breeding.
