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The Royal Norfolk Show 2023 Innovation Hub, curated by Agri-TechE and sponsored by BBRO, is looking at technologies that can detect issues (crop stress, disease risk, performance) sooner, and use resources (heat, light, water) more efficiently, to reduce waste, increase resilience and optimise productivity in food production.
Some of the exhibitors include:
Manage plant stress and performance – Gardin
Gardin’s technology provides an early indication of plant stress by measuring the photosynthetic performance of the plant, growing in a vertical farm or greenhouse. The system uses a robotic sensor to monitor the crop in real time.
Gardin will be discussing how the system provides growers with insights into plant health that can easily be actioned, improving yields and quality, and lowering costs.
Sensors and monitors for sugar beet – BBRO
Sugar beet is an important crop and innovation at BBRO is enabling farmers to reduce reliance on plant protection products. Trials include in-field spore detection units, crop sensors for humidity levels at crop leaf stage, carbon sequestration and pheromone traps for monitoring specific moths. It will showcase how it monitors in-field activity and shares that with growers.
Early alert of disease for arable crops – Fotenix
Fotenix uses a patented spectral camera and light setup to provide early warning of disease in oilseed rape (OSR) and wheat crops. The monitor can be mounted on a tractor or robot, such as those from Small Robot Company or Saga Robotics, enabling early detection and intervention before significant losses.
The system has been shown to be capable of detecting light leaf spot and phoma in OSR and septoria in wheat in days, compared to months by traditional methods. Through continuous monitoring it can also provide evidence of disease control or re-emergence post-application.
Fotenix is currently looking for more partners to trial its system or integrate it within existing machinery across plot trials and horticulture.
Pick the winners by profiling a leaf – LGC Genomics
10 percent of raspberry plants produce yellow fruits that are not commercially acceptable but it can take years to identify those plants. Now with LGC Genomics’ technology farmers and breeders can have the leaves analysed to determine the genotype and find out quickly which plants have markers for yellow fruit; saving years of otherwise wasted effort.
LGC Genomics will enable farmers to determine which of the varieties they are growing are more resilient to local conditions and accelerate breeding programmes for breeders of all sizes.
Deep Geothermal energy offers decarbonising solution – CeraPhi Energy
CeraPhi Energy specialises in Deep Geothermal heat exchange technology and is the leading company in this field and the first to offer an end-to-end solution from securing finance to full development and energy production.
Unlike solar or wind power, which is variable, geothermal energy can be used on-farm to provide 24/7 baseload sustainable energy for heating, cooling and power. This is an energy solution that will enable UK farming to develop energy resilience and be import independent within ten years. The development of a new heat network for agriculture is supported by the Environment Agency and is part of the BEIS British Energy Industrial Strategy.
CeraPhi Energy will be discussing how generating clean energy from land wells offers a business opportunity for farmers.
Lights, microgreens and mushrooms – Kroptek
Kroptek provides all round support for all types of growers, from bespoke, quality LED grow lights to complete solutions. All fully customisable and tailored to the crop and environment to ensure cost-effective, optimal growing conditions.
Kroptek has developed systems for mushrooms and microgreens. Mushroom farm La Boite A Champignon, based in Paris, supply ‘grow it home’ boxes for consumers, and Wesh Grow, produce hyper-local, high-end produce in urban controlled environments.
Maximise growing area and yield per unit of input – GrowPura
GrowPura Limited has developed the world’s first automated, moving conveyor system for vertical farming that operates in a patented ‘Clean Room’ environment.
The GrowPura technology aims to maximise use of space and reduce input costs. Plants receive the optimum light for growth and as 95% of the water used is recycled, it uses a fraction of the water required for field irrigated crops with no runoff. GrowPura aims to reduce the environmental impact of vertical farming while improving the quality of food produced and its economic benefits.
Save the spud from more sprays – The Sainsbury Laboratory
Withdrawal of chemical fungicides has put pressure on the potato industry as late blight disease continues to threaten crops. Some wild varieties of potato are resistant to blight but don’t have the same eating qualities as the popular Maris Piper. Now work by the Jonathan Jones’ group at The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, has provided Maris Piper with blight resistance genes from wild relatives to create PiperPlus. This game changing variety is resistant to late blight, greatly reducing the need for chemicals, plus it has traits that will make it easier to store without losing product quality.
Exciting developments in this field continue, potentially enabling the growth of seed potatoes in warmer climates and allowing England to produce its own seed potatoes. Disease resistance traits will also be conferred to other valued potato varieties in the UK, specifically, Charlotte, the home grower’s favourite, and Hermes which is important for making crisps.
Exploring agricultural opportunities through space-tech – Space East
Increasingly satellite-enabled technologies are being used to advance farming practices. Satellite navigation systems can steer tractors and direct precision application of fertiliser, whilst earth observation data provides agricultural intelligence to map plant and soil health. The growing potential and value of these technologies is vast and a focus for Space East, the UK’s newest space cluster, bringing together leaders from across the East of England to develop and champion exciting new opportunities in space technology.
Protect sheep with tracking tech – Movetech Telemetry / UEA
No more lost sheep with lightweight, low-cost devices developed by Movetech Telemetry. Originally developed for tracking birds, the devices provide information on livestock movement, alerting farmers to any changes in behaviour, which can indicate theft, disease, or loss.
Paludiculture – innovation for lowland peat – NIAB
NIAB will be highlighting the challenges in lowland peat landscapes (balancing productivity, CO2 emissions and biodiversity); defining and demonstrating what paludiculture is and how its sustainable products could become part of our everyday lives in the future.
Tickets for the Royal Norfolk Show 28-29th June 2023 are on sale now
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