Knowledge Base Post Type: Member News

Bioinsecticide start-up BugBiome strengthens pipeline with new funding and Norwich Park relocation

Member News
BugBiome BugBiome
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

Bioinsecticide start-up BugBiome focuses on lead product development with move to Norwich Research Park

Enhanced access to agritech community & trial capacity follows recent investment from European funds Rockstart & Biotope

  • In the next phase of its development, BugBiome has relocated to Norwich Research Park where it will focus on field validation of its lead product, an aphicide
  • As well as having all its activities on one site, BugBiome will benefit from being part of the food and agritech community at the Park campus
  • European VCs Rockstart & Biotope recently invested in the company, supporting its focus on field validation for the lead product

BugBiome, the agri-tech innovator developing new bioinsecticides from crop-associated microbes, has relocated to Norwich Research Park as it focuses on moving its lead aphicide into field trials in 2026. Consolidating on a single site in proximity to its greenhouses enhances its progress towards this field validation milestone for the first product from AvidX, its proprietary discovery engine. In its new location at Norwich Research Park, one of the largest single-site concentrations of research in food, genomics, and health in Europe, BugBiome has established a presence at the John Innes Centre, providing direct access to world-leading expertise.

The company’s lead asset has shown promising efficacy in greenhouse trials on sugar beet and oilseed rape, with preparation for field validation now underway.

The company joined the Agrifood portfolio of the purpose-led VC fund Rockstart earlier this year, followed by investment from Biotope, which is focused on positive change for planetary health. Its other backers are Cambridge Angels, Discovery Park Ventures, IndieBio/SOSV and AgLaunch. Proceeds from its ongoing fundraising round will further support development and commercialisation of its lead biopesticide, as well as generation of a pipeline of follow-up products targeting beetles/weevils and lepidoptera, broadening BugBiome’s reach across major crop pests.

Dr Alicia Showering, CEO of BugBiome, said ‘Demonstrating field efficacy of our aphid product is a critical milestone for commercialisation and partnering, and the environment here will enable us to accelerate not only this product but also the broader portfolio of new bioinsecticide solutions farmers urgently need.’

‘This move to Norwich Research Park places us in the heart of the UK’s agritech community. Our relocation and integration have proceeded smoothly and we are delighted to enter this next phase of our development here.’

Roz Bird, CEO of Anglia Innovation Partnership, the campus management organisation for Norwich Research Park, said “We are delighted to welcome BugBiome to our campus, adding another highly innovative agri-biotech start-up company to our community. Over the last three years, we have developed a successful ecosystem and incubator programme to support spin-outs, spin-ins and start-ups as they establish themselves and grow. Agri-biotech along with food biotech, industrial biotech and medtech are the sectors where we have an enormous amount of experience, expertise and state-of-the-art-facilities to nurture both the research and subsequent commercialisation. We are looking forward to supporting BugBiome’s next phase of development and helping it to achieve its business ambitions.”

  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

Post Overview

This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.

29th September 2025
BugBiome BugBiome
Member News
Funding, Finance & Investment

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Why Measuring Soil Water Provides Better Insights than Rainfall

Member News
Paul-Tech Ltd Paul-Tech Ltd
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

Most farmers are accustomed to keeping an eye on rainfall – when it rains a lot, it feels like the fields must have plenty of moisture, and when rainfall is scarce, conditions are automatically considered dry. In reality, however, the rain gauge does not always reflect how much water plants can actually take up from the soil. This is where soil water measurement comes into play, showing more precisely whether there is enough moisture at root level.

In crop production, soil water levels are more important than rainfall readings, because soil water directly indicates the amount of water available to plants. Measuring soil water also takes into account soil type, organic matter content and structure, all of which affect the soil’s ability to retain water. Rainfall only shows how much water has fallen onto the surface, without revealing how much of it has actually infiltrated the soil or how long it will remain there.

Simply measuring rainfall overlooks many crucial factors that influence how well plants are supplied with water. Soil water also affects the feasibility and quality of field operations.

Soil Type and Structure: Different soils hold water differently. For example, sandy soils let water drain through quickly, while clay soils retain it for longer. A rain gauge does not reveal whether rainfall has soaked into the soil or run off, whether fields are trafficable for machinery, or whether the soil structure is suitable for cultivation.

Plant-Available Water Capacity: Only part of the soil’s total water content is available to plants. By measuring soil water, it is possible to assess the exact proportion of water that plant roots can absorb.

Evaporation: After rainfall, some water may evaporate quickly from the soil surface, especially in hot and windy weather. Soil water measurement accounts for this loss.

Irrigation Needs: Rainfall data alone does not give a clear picture of whether crops require supplementary irrigation. For instance, a short, intense shower may register a high rainfall amount, but the water might not reach deep enough into the soil layers where roots are located. Soil water measurements, on the other hand, provide real-time feedback on whether the soil has enough moisture.

Therefore, while rainfall is the source of water, soil water readings give a far more accurate and practical picture of the actual water supply available to plants and of the soil’s condition, both of which are critical for planning fieldwork. Using this direct indicator of plant growth conditions allows risks to be assessed more precisely, leading to much more efficient farm management.

  • Monitoring soil water is essential for timing sowing, fertilisation, crop protection and other field operations. It helps avoid crop damage caused by drought or excessive moisture. When planning fieldwork, it also helps account for soil structure and load-bearing capacity. 
  • Soil water sensors provide a direct signal of when irrigation is needed, when to avoid over-fertilisation, or when to prevent soil compaction.
  • Soil water is the main factor determining yield, because it is from the soil that plant roots take up water.
  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

Post Overview

This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.

29th September 2025
Paul-Tech Ltd Paul-Tech Ltd
Member News
Soils and Water Management

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Good Time Boards: Why Comfort Kills Resilience

Member News
Populi Consulting Ltd Populi Consulting Ltd
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

In business, the boardroom is often painted as the pinnacle of leadership. A place of wisdom, oversight, and accountability. Yet too often, we see boards that are not leading but coasting, what I call “Good Time Boards.”

A Good Time Board looks fine on the surface. Meetings are cordial, lunches are pleasant, and reports are nodded through. But beneath the smiles, there’s a lack of rigour. Too many difficult questions are left unasked. Too many assumptions go unchallenged. And too often, the board exists for the comfort of its members rather than the growth and security of the business.

What do Good Time Boards look like?

  • Consensus over candour – members would rather agree than debate.
  • Comfort over challenge – hard truths are smoothed over in the name of harmony.
  • Process over progress – the agenda is ticked off, but little value is added.
  • Friendship over function – loyalty to individuals outweighs loyalty to the organisation.
  • Blind spots in perception – directors often have little understanding of how they themselves are viewed by staff, customers, or partners.
  • Disconnected from reality – many don’t know how the organisation really works day-to-day, preferring a neat report to messy reality.
  • The iceberg of ignorance – 4% of front-line problems reach top management; boards often operate on the thinnest tip of the iceberg.
  • Lack of listening – little curiosity about what people at every level are experiencing; no genuine interest in hearing voices beyond the boardroom.

In short, Good Time Boards thrive in the good times. When markets are buoyant and margins healthy, it’s easy to convince yourself that all is well. But when conditions change, as they inevitably do, these boards are exposed. Without the habit of scrutiny, they lack the resilience to steer through a crisis.

Why does it happen?

The reasons are usually human, not structural. Directors are wary of upsetting the chair. Chairs are wary of upsetting the CEO. Nobody wants to be the awkward voice in the room. And sometimes, people just enjoy the status and social aspect more than the responsibility.

What does a healthy board look like?

A high-functioning boardroom is not always comfortable. The best boards are those where trust is high enough for challenge to be real. Where directors feel not only permitted but obliged to ask the awkward question. Where people are clear that their duty is to the organisation and its stakeholders, not to keep the peace.

Strong board balance:

  • Challenge with support – the CEO is backed, but not shielded.
  • Short-term reality with long-term vision – today’s numbers matter, but so does tomorrow’s direction.
  • Collective responsibility with individual accountability – nobody hides in the crowd.
  • Insight with humility – board members listen, learn, and respect that they rarely see the full picture.

Moving beyond Good Time Boards

For chairs and directors alike, the work is about resetting expectations:

  1. Re-establish purpose – why does this board exist, and for whom?
  2. Invite discomfort – ask the questions nobody else is asking.
  3. Measure value – does each meeting leave the business stronger than before?
  4. Model honesty and listening – leaders set the tone by being candid, curious, and humble enough to hear unwelcome truths.

When boards do this well, they become more than a governance mechanism. They become a genuine leadership team guiding, protecting, and stretching the business through both good times and hard times.

Because the truth is this: a board that only works in good times is not a good board.

If you recognise elements of a Good Time Board in your own organisation, now is the moment to act. Regulation, investor scrutiny, market pressures, and shifting stakeholder expectations mean resilience is no longer optional.

This is where I help. My work with boards is about creating that balance, high trust, real challenge, and genuine leadership. If your board needs a reset, let’s talk.

Board Meeting Self-Checklist

Before your next meeting, take a moment to test the health of your own board. The questions below are designed to spark honest reflection and, if needed, uncomfortable conversations. They’re also the kind of conversations I help boards navigate: constructive challenge, sharper focus, and stronger governance. If you’re wondering whether your board is slipping into “Good Time” mode, start with these questions:

1.    When was the last time someone asked a question that genuinely unsettled the room, and was that welcomed?
2.    Do people feel more loyalty to fellow board members or to the organisation and its stakeholders?
3.    How much of the understanding of the business comes from neat reports, and how much from direct contact with staff, customers, or partners?
4.    If markets turned tomorrow, would the current board habits prepare us to respond quickly and decisively?
5.    Does every meeting leave the organisation stronger than before, or just more comfortable?

Populi Consulting helps boards move from ‘Good Time’ habits to resilient, effective leadership.

  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

Post Overview

This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.

29th September 2025
Populi Consulting Ltd Populi Consulting Ltd
Member News
Business Support

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Agritech Thymes: A review of protection for gene edited plants

Member News
HGF Limited HGF Limited
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

As we head into a new season, it’s a good time to revisit the current status of protection for Essentially Derived Varieties (EDVs) and plants derived from New Genomic Techniques (NGTs).

The “Breeders Exemption” allows the development of new varieties from a protected variety without having to wait for the initial PVR to expire. If the new variety falls within the definition of an EDV, as set out below, its owner will need permission from the initial PVR holder in order to commercialise it, so providing some economic recompense to the PVR owner.  If a third party, for example another breeder, wants to use that EDV, they would need permission from both the PVR owner and the new EDV owner. Any new EDV may itself be protected by a PVR, provided it meets the requirements of stability, uniformity and distinctiveness.

As a reminder, an EDV is a plant which is “predominantly derived” from the initial variety – meaning that it has more of the genome of the original variety from which it is derived than would be expected from a normal cross. It must also retain the expression of “essential characteristics” of the initial variety, and be “distinguishable” from the initial variety by one or more characteristics which are capable of a precise description.

Of course, an EDV may be used to generate further EDVs. But when considering protection, it is important to remember that the PVR only extends to the first “generation” of EDVs.  So, if a party is planning to use an EDV generated from an earlier EDV, they would need permission from the initial PVR holder (until the PVR ceases) and from the owner of the last EDV from which it is derived if this is protected by a PVR, but not from the owners of any intermediate EDVs. This becomes interesting when we look at how New Genomic Techniques are being used to generate new plant varieties.

It has been acknowledged by Defra and UPOV that an EDV may be produced from the initial variety by methods including genetic engineering, including precision breeding techniques. However, in 2023 UPOV issued non-binding Explanatory notes which suggested that an EDV does not need to completely share the essential characteristics of the initial variety, as long as the missing essential characteristics are missing as a result of the act of derivation. These Explanatory notes have been interpreted as broadening the definition of an EDV to encompass offspring plants which do not share all essential characteristics with the initial variety. Because the initial PVR provides protection for the first generation EDV but not for intermediate EDVs, if all NGT plants fall within the definition of an EDV then the effective scope of protection of the PBR would be reduced because a greater number of gene edited plants may fall within an intermediate EDV category.

Over a year since the Explanatory Notes have been issued, there remains uncertainty in the field regarding the scope of PBR protection for precision bred EDVs.

In addition, further talks on how to simplify and accelerate the approval process for NGT plants have recently been halted, as the parties have been unable to agree on several issues including labelling of NGT plants. It is hoped that agreement will be reached and the proposed regulation finalised during the Danish presidency in the second half of 2025.

For the time being, HGF’s advice remains to continue with existing patent and PVR filing strategies.

This article was prepared by Partner & Patent Attorney Punita Shah.

  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

Post Overview

This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.

22nd September 2025
HGF Limited HGF Limited
Member News
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A new way to navigate Australia’s Research and Development Corporations

Member News
AgriFutures growAG AgriFutures growAG
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

The Australian agricultural innovation landscape has never been more dynamic. With climate change, sustainability pressures, and evolving consumer demands reshaping how we produce food and fibre, the need for targeted, industry-relevant research and development has never been greater.

That’s why we’re excited to launch our comprehensive Research and Development Corporation (RDC) pages. ‘Explore RDCs’ is a dedicated section of the growᴬᴳ platform that explains Australia’s RDC landscape and provides clear pathways for startups and scaleups, businesses, and international stakeholders to engage meaningfully with rural industries.

Understanding the RDC system

Australia’s 15 RDCs operate at the unique intersection of industry, government, and research. They’re not just funding bodies; they’re strategic partners that enable government and primary producers to co-invest in innovation that drives real industry impact and benefits regional communities.

The numbers tell a compelling story: for every dollar invested in agricultural R&D, farmers see almost an eight-dollar return over ten years. But beyond the impressive ROI, RDCs provide something invaluable – insight, market connection, and pathways that can transform promising innovations into practical solutions for their industry.

What you will find in ‘Explore RDCs’

‘Explore RDCs’ provides comprehensive information about RDCs in one easy-to-use place:

  • Complete RDC directory: Detailed profiles of all 15 RDCs, from Commonwealth statutory bodies like AgriFutures Australia and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation, to industry-owned companies like Dairy Australia and Meat & Livestock Australia.
  • Funding landscapes: Clear explanations of how RDCs are funded through industry levies and government matching, plus specific information about each corporation’s funding opportunities and cycles.
  • Strategic priorities: Up-to-date information on each RDC’s current strategic focus areas, helping you assess alignment between your innovation and industry needs.
  • Opportunities for engagement: Highlights programs, VC funds and innovation challenges run by individual RDCs designed to build capacity and source solutions to real industry challenges.
  • Connections: Access to growᴬᴳ’s concierge service where we can assist in connecting you with the right person within an RDC and understand your objectives.

 

Making connections that matter

Whether you’re developing precision agriculture technology that could enhance grain production, sustainable packaging solutions for horticulture, or animal welfare innovations for livestock or aquaculture industries, our resource helps you identify the RDC most aligned with your work and understand their specific priorities and funding mechanisms.

Each RDC page is designed to be actionable, meaning that these resources are downloadable with links to access growᴬᴳ’s concierge service, where we can assist in connecting you with the right person.

 

Getting started

Ready to explore how your innovation could contribute to Australia’s agricultural future?

Explore RDCs and start identifying which agricultural sectors align with your work. Dive into the specific RDCs, understand their priorities, and reach out to growᴬᴳ concierge service to explore tailored engagement pathways.

Post Overview

This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.

22nd September 2025
AgriFutures growAG AgriFutures growAG
Member News
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Wilder Sensing interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today: Bioacoustics in practise

Member News
Wilder Sensing Wilder Sensing
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

If you visit BBC Sounds and listen to the 11 September episode of BBC Radio 4s Farming Today, you will hear Wilder Sensing CEO Geoff Carss interviewed on a farm in Lincolnshire discussing the benefits of remote bioacoustic monitoring.

The segment focused on farmland birds and practical steps landowners can take to protect and enhance nature on their land. Forward thinking farmers working with Wilder Sensing are using remote monitoring to capture sound from the natural environment and, through our AI platform, convert it into usable ecological insight.

This approach makes it possible to monitor large areas at lower cost compared with manual surveying, helping landowners understand the real impact of their management choices in near real time. As highlighted in the interview, farmers can use this data to improve their practices and also strengthen the value of their produce with credible evidence demonstrating regenerative outcomes.

If you would like to discuss monitoring on your own sites, you can contact George Caterer at gcaterer@wildersensing.com

  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

Post Overview

This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.

17th September 2025
Wilder Sensing Wilder Sensing
Member News
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New breeder at Barenbrug has UK’s grass needs in sights

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Barenbrug UK Ltd Barenbrug UK Ltd
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

Barenbrug has signalled its ongoing commitment to top-class UK grass breeding with the appointment of Dr Charlotte Jones to the newly created position of Senior Breeder.

The country’s largest grower of grass seed, supplying thousands of tonnes each year to the agriculture and amenity sectors, says Dr Jones will head up a specialised forage breeding programme for the UK and Ireland based at the company’s new research site in Knutsford, Cheshire.

“This is a fabulous opportunity to create something really special,” enthuses Dr Jones. “We’re building on more than 30 years of breeding success here in the UK, a programme that has seen more than 50 varieties added to the Recommended List and cumulative grass yield increases of more than 0.5% per annum.

“For a breeder, this is an exciting time. UK agriculture is changing and shifting, and that’s what we’re here to help the industry with. We need new ryegrass varieties that can cope with changing weather and changing production objectives, and which are more compatible with more resilient species.

“Ryegrass is the most productive and nutritious grass available to farmers. But as a species it has a relatively shallow rooting system, which contributes to its failure to grow under water deficit.  For it to remain the grass of choice, these are just two of the traits that should be addressed,” she points out.

Dr Jones says traditional breeding programmes have emphasised above-ground performance, but with a more modern understanding of soil science now prevalent,

there are further opportunities to work out soil and root interactions and bring these onboard in setting breeding objectives.

Piet Arts, Barenbrug’s global research director, says with grass ‘the biggest crop in the world’, keeping the company at the forefront of research is essential. “Although Barenbrug has global resources, programmes, genetics to draw upon, it’s vital that the UK and Ireland have a bespoke, dedicated breeding programme that meets their current and future grass needs.

“This isn’t something that can be done from Europe, or New Zealand, or anywhere else,” he says. “With Charlotte’s appointment, we can increase our presence and commitment to the UK and Ireland, building on our UK heritage but now focusing on our own activities, breeding station and staff, no longer having to rely on an external partner.

“By exploring and exploiting all aspects of forage science, we can grow a competitive, expansive breeding programme that’s designed to meet future needs.”

Dr Jones has been involved in plant breeding throughout her career, following academic studies at Aberystwyth University. Her particular interests lie in trait discovery and the use of molecular tools to inform phenotype breeding.

 

Post Overview

This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.

17th September 2025
Barenbrug UK Ltd Barenbrug UK Ltd
Member News
Crops, Varieties, Breeds, Rotations

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Calling all agrifood tech innovators: Applications now open for the AgriFutures evokeAG. 2026 Startup Program

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AgriFutures growAG AgriFutures growAG
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

Applications are now open for the AgriFutures evokeAG. 2026 Startup Program, where 50 of the boldest agrifood startups will receive a free pass to showcase their innovations on a global stage at evokeAG. 2026 in Melbourne on 17-18 February 2026.

Hosted by AgriFutures Australia, evokeᴬᴳ. is the premier global agrifood technology and innovation event, bringing together the brightest minds, breakthrough technologies and bold ideas shaping the future of agriculture.

The Startup Program offers founders a high-impact platform to:

  • Showcase their solutions to a global audience
  • Connect with investors, corporates, and producers
  • Accelerate growth through partnerships and exposure.

Angela Wakeman, Acting General Manager, Global Innovation Networks at AgriFutures said the evokeAG.  Startup Program is designed to give agrifood startups and scaleups tackling agriculture’s biggest challenges a platform to showcase their innovation and drive positive change for the sector.

“evokeᴬᴳ. is more than an event – it’s a launchpad for the technologies and ideas that have the potential to transform agriculture. The Startup Program is designed to connect founders with the networks and opportunities they need to scale and succeed.”

The evokeAG. 2026 Startup Program offers three streams:

  • Startup Alley – The heart of evokeᴬᴳ. Startup Alley is a dynamic exhibition space featuring 50 of the most innovative startups tackling agriculture’s biggest challenges.
  • Culinary Capital – An exclusive networking dinner where startups pitch their solutions directly to investors, corporates and potential customers in a rotating table format.
  • The evokeᴬᴳ. Australian Landing Pad (formerly AgVenture Downunder) – A tailored program for 10 international startups ready to enter the Australian market, offering business support, market insights and connections with producers and trial partners.

Edward Barraclough, Founder of livestock management technology startup Drone-Hand, said the Program was instrumental in accelerating his business.

“The evokeAG. Startup Program gave us exposure to the right people – investors, trial partners, customers and everyone in between – at exactly the right time. It was pivotal in creating pathways and securing partnerships that have led to the completion of our investment round and accelerated our move towards commercialisation,” said Edward.

Since its inception in 2019, the evokeAG. Startup Program has supported the growth of more than 170 local and global startups, supporting their efforts to secure investment, partnerships and international expansion. Alumni include innovators such as Rainstick, Cropify, People in Paddocks, CropX and RHST, whose participation in evokeAG. has fostered growth, investment, partnerships and international expansion.

Applications for the evokeAG. 2026 Startup Program are open from Monday, 15 September 2025, until Friday, 24 October 2025 at 5.00pm AEDT.

For program details, eligibility criteria and further details on how to apply visit: evokeag.com/startups.

evokeᴬᴳ⋅ 2026 will be held on Tuesday, 17 February and Wednesday, 18 February 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. evokeᴬᴳ⋅ is powered by AgriFutures Australia and funded by the Australian Government, Platinum Partner Elders and Host State Partner, Agriculture Victoria. 

Tickets are now on sale at evokeag.com 

  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

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17th September 2025
AgriFutures growAG AgriFutures growAG
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Precision Management for orchard growers a step closer using Drones and Lidar Sensing

Member News
Niab Niab
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

A major step forward has been achieved in precision orchard management, and the future-proofing of fruit production in the face of climate change, with new research from the UK crop research organisation Niab and Nanjing Agricultural University in China, alongside international partners.

The team has developed OrchardQuant 3D – a breakthrough pipeline that measures fruit trees in three dimensions with unprecedented accuracy. This new research demonstrates how complex 3D data collected from the air and from the ground using different types of sensors (drone cameras and LiDAR – which stands for light detection and ranging) can be accurately fused together and interpreted. This enables scalable 3D mapping and automated trait analysis, generating information of each tree within an entire orchard.

The system creates detailed 3D models of apple and pear orchards to capture tree height, crown volume, branch structure and blossom density – traits that underpin fruit yield and quality. Successfully demonstrated in pear orchards in China and apple orchards at Niab in the UK, the pipeline can scale from tens to thousands of trees, automating processes that previously required weeks of manual assessment.

This enhanced phenotype data benefits growers and agronomists by allowing and improving the measurement of characteristics of each tree, for example in calculating the number of blossoms, fruitlets and fruit, and measuring the canopy size, structure, and density. These metrics can be used to improve agronomic decisions, such as thinning and pruning, and create dose prescription maps for variable rate spray machines, to optimise the crop load for each individual tree in the orchard, ultimately driving up orchard productivity

Niab crop protection specialist Dr Charles Whitfield explains the importance of this new research. “This innovation addresses a critical bottleneck in horticulture: phenotyping at scale. Traditional methods are labour-intensive and often unable to keep pace with modern orchard systems or changing environmental conditions. By combining colour and spatial data, OrchardQuant 3D provides actionable insights for breeding, management and research, paving the way for more resilient, sustainable and high-quality fruit production.”

The codebase has been released openly, enabling rapid adoption by scientists and growers worldwide. Future developments aim to integrate yield prediction, disease monitoring and advanced decision support. The methodology is currently a research tool but may become more widely available in the future.

Crop breeders will be able to use this method to precisely quantify tree traits, greatly improving the efficiency of breeding programmes and assisting in the development of new varieties better suited to the future, including changes in climate and orchards being maintained by increasingly automated systems.

Professor Ji Zhou, who led the Niab research team in the UK alongside his team at Nanjing, emphasises that this groundbreaking research demonstrates that high precision mapping of complex 3D structures and blossom clusters/fruit detection can be achieved at orchard-scale. “It opens the door to improving the orchard breeding and agronomic knowledge available to breeders and growers which will drive improvements to orchard management and productivity, leading to more class one fruit per tree and ultimately a better return per hectare for the UK’s hard fruit production,” explains Professor Zhou.

Dr Rob Jackson, deputy programme leader for crop phenotyping at Niab, performed the drone mapping in the UK. “Our work demonstrates the scale of agronomic information that can now be efficiently collected by a single drone pilot, supported by a small data processing team. In the future it could also alleviate issues concerning staff availability.”

“Part of research was completed within the Precision Orchard Management and Environment (POME) project, funded by Defra and Innovate UK, and its output will be used within the project to continue to advance precision agriculture. Niab will use the research to support crop breeding and other endeavours for the UK horticultural sector,” concludes Dr Whitfield.

3D tree-level floral trait analysis
A pear tree used for LiDAR mapping

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16th September 2025
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Opportunity or Uncertainty? What the government reshuffle means for food and agriculture businesses

Member News
GK Strategy GK Strategy
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

The government’s latest reshuffle has moved two Defra heavyweights to new departments. Rt Hon Steve Reed MP and Daniel Zeichner MP had invested time and energy in building relationships with the food and farming industries and getting to grips with the challenges faced by businesses in each. With a new secretary of state heading up the department and a new farming minister now appointed, the challenge for both the ministerial team and the sector is to hit the ground running and ensure policy progress does not stall.

The first all-female ministerial team, the new Defra team is certainly groundbreaking. Each minister brings experiences from different backgrounds and with that, a different set of priorities. For businesses in the food and agricultural sectors, these appointments signal both opportunity and uncertainty, raising questions about how the department will approach issues like rural growth, food security, and land management .

A fresh new ministerial lineup at Defra presents farming and agricultural businesses with a wealth of opportunities. In the aftermath of a reshuffle, businesses should be thinking about how to best introduce themselves and strike up a relationship with the new team. While getting to grips with their briefs, ministers will be seeking solutions to the challenges they face. Aligning your business with the government’s priorities, and offering tangible solutions, will be the most effective way to gain trust.

 

New Appointment: Emma Reynolds – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural

Emma Reynolds was appointed as Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 September 2025, replacing Steve Reed. Reynolds joins Defra from the Treasury, where she served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister. She was elected as the MP for Wycombe last year.

The reaction to Reynolds’ appointment from the agricultural community has been largely positive. Shortly after assuming the role, Reynolds met with NFU President Tom Bradshaw, who described their meeting as a ‘constructive and positive conversation’. Speaking to the Farmers Weekly Podcast, Jonathan Roberts of the Country, Land and Business Association stated that Reynolds is ‘pretty interested’ in farming and that she understands the challenges that the industry is facing. In a year where farmers have been protesting in Westminster, particularly over the issue of inheritance tax relief, rebuilding trust between the agricultural community and the government is crucial. Reynolds’ background in the Treasury could also be an advantage for the industry. Whilst she might lack experience in dealing with agricultural issues, her financial acumen and understanding of how the Treasury works is an important starting point for unlocking rural growth and protecting the industry.

 

New Appointment: Dame Angela Eagle CBE – Minister of State (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs)

Dame Angela replaced Daniel Zeichner MP as Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs as part of last week’s cabinet reshuffle. Eagle joins Defra from the Home Office, where she served as Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum. She has been the MP for Wallasey for over thirty years and has a wealth of experience in both government and the shadow cabinet.

Eagle’s appointment has attracted a mixed reaction from the agricultural community. Whilst Eagle’s profile as a senior Labour MP might result in farming becoming a significant issue on the policy agenda, she is seen more as a political operator rather than a sector insider. Despite the backlash regarding changes to inheritance tax relief for agricultural assets, Zeichner was praised for his ability to build relationships with the farming community. Therefore, it is important that Eagle engages with the sector to the same extent and grasps the realities of the challenges faced by the agricultural community.

Existing Appointment: Emma Hardy MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Water and Flooding)

Emma Hardy MP was appointed to her current ministerial position in July 2024, having previously served as Shadow Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience. Hardy is a trained teacher and worked for the National Union of Teachers before entering politics.

Since taking office, Hardy has dedicated significant funding to enhance resilience against flooding. This includes £60 million in recovery payments to farm businesses, and £50 million to support internal drainage boards in reducing flood risks in rural areas. Hardy has also been proactive in supporting the construction of new infrastructure to enhance water security, such as the Havant Thicket Reservoir.

However, Hardy has been involved in flashpoints between the government and the agricultural sector. In January 2025, the government rejected an application from British Sugar and the NFU to use an emergency neonicotinoid pesticide on sugar beet, with Hardy stating that the decision was made to protect bees. This illustrates the complexity of government decision making when balancing agricultural productivity with environmental impact. This dynamic is likely to continue throughout the remainder of this parliament.

 

Existing Appointment: Mary Creagh MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature)

Mary Creagh MP was appointed as Minister for Nature in July 2024. Creagh has an extensive background in environmental affairs, as previous chair of the Environmental Audit Committee and previous shadow Defra secretary of state.

Key milestones for her tenure as Minister for Nature include the announcement of a Nature Restoration Fund, which promises to work alongside farms in supporting conservation efforts, and a £1.1 billion boost to improving local recycling services in England. In June 2025, Creagh also announced a £13.6 million scheme to support farming and cut food waste by redistributing surplus produce to homelessness charities and food banks.

 

Existing Appointment: Baroness Hayman of Ullock – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords Minister)

Baroness Hayman has been a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Defra since July 2024, bringing with her extensive parliamentary and environmental experience. Baroness Hayman took up her peerage in the House of Lords in 2020. She served as Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs between 2017 and 2019, and later the Shadow Environmental Spokesperson from 2020 to 2024.

As a passionate animal welfare advocate, most of Baroness Hayman’s parliamentary activities fall under that responsibility. However, she has also sought to promote the interests of British farmers in supporting government efforts to protect livestock by implementing preventative measures against the spread of foot and mouth disease.

If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please contact lauren.atkins@gkstrategy.com.

  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

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15th September 2025
GK Strategy GK Strategy
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MPs ask businesses to decide the topic of the next environment and nature inquiry

Member News
GK Strategy GK Strategy
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has put out a call for businesses to select the future topic for their inquiry, which can be on climate change, the environment or nature. The cross-party group of MPs are keen to hear suggestions from agri-tech businesses about role of the sector in achieving environmental and nature policy goals. The committee are looking for short proposals for topics they could focus on, and then 10 individuals will be invited to pitch their proposal to the committee in a public session. The winning proposal will become the committee’s next new inquiry. The selected inquiry will not only investigate the chosen subject in depth, but will also gather evidence from businesses, experts and policymakers, ultimately producing a report with recommendations for government action.

This is a rare opportunity for businesses to influence policy discussions in a topic of their choosing. It offers a platform for businesses to highlight challenges, share innovative solutions, and encourage government and parliament to address the barriers to progress.

The deadline for proposals is 10 October.

If you would like to discuss this opportunity to submit a proposal to the inquiry, or you’re curious about how committee inquiries work, please contact lauren.atkins@gkstrategy.com.

  • *I have permission from the copyright holder to publish this content and images.

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9th September 2025
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From Lab Discovery to Field Reality – how SugaROx is bringing T6P science to Farmers

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SugaROx SugaROx
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.

Dr Cara Griffiths, 27 August 2025

  • T6P technology, first published by Rothamsted Research and Oxford University in Nature in 2016, showed potential to boost wheat yields by up to 20% in glasshouses.
  • New publication in Nature Biotechnology confirms feasibility of the T6P technology in field conditions, with consistent yield gains of around 10% in wheat.
  • SugaROx is now launching trials, with a more cost-effective version of the active ingredient, at a lower dose rate, with distributors and farmers to validate performance more widely, bridging academic discovery with agricultural practice.

One of the biggest challenges in agriculture is turning brilliant lab discoveries into solutions that work in unpredictable field conditions. Many fail along the way. But when the gap is closed, the results can transform farming. That’s the story of our flagship active ingredient, an innovative, plant-permeable form of trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), the natural plant sugar in our first biostimulant.

Following publication of her academic research in Nature Biotechnology, our CTO Dr. Cara Griffiths shares her thoughts on how her work on T6P went from a research project to development of a solution for real-world farmers.

Breaking new knowledge – how it began

Agricultural innovation often starts with a simple question: what hidden mechanisms inside plants could be harnessed to grow more food with fewer resources?

In the late 1990s, my colleague Dr Matthew Paul, a plant biologist at Rothamsted Research, was developing early fundamental research that discovered a tiny sugar, T6P, acts as a regulator of plant energy.

T6P acts as a key signal of sugar availability, switching metabolism into a “feast mode” when energy is abundant; promoting growth, starch synthesis, and biomass accumulation. It does this by inhibiting SnRK1, a master regulator that otherwise triggers a “famine response,” slowing growth and conserving resources. By increasing the abundance of T6P in the cell, this feast response can be triggered, pushing more sugar resources into plant growth, development, and ultimately yield.

The challenge? T6P is a polar molecule and can’t cross plant cell membranes if simply sprayed on crops. That’s when Matthew teamed up with Professor Ben Davis, an organic chemist at Oxford University, who engineered a “caged” version, allowing for cell membrane penetration; protected until sunlight releases it inside the plant. This breakthrough meant T6P could finally be delivered into crops using common farming practice.

Proof in controlled conditions

I joined the research team in 2014 to put the T6P analogues created by Ben and Matthew to the test. In 2016, we published in Nature that spraying wheat with plant-permeable T6P increased yields by up to 20% in controlled environments.

This was the first proof of concept that chemical intervention in sugar signalling could change the rules of crop productivity. It suggested we could increase yields without demanding more land, water, or fertiliser – a vital step toward sustainable agriculture and food security.

Feasibility in fields

The real test was moving from glasshouses to real fields. Matthew, Ben, and I launched an academic project in Argentina where we ran replicated small plot trials across four seasons to test the technology under agricultural conditions.

The results, now published in Nature Biotechnology, showed yield gains of 5-17%, averaging 10%. Crucially, these gains didn’t require extra fertiliser or irrigation. For farmers, that means more grain from the same land – real productivity, not just lab theory.

From academic trials to business-led trials

At SugaROx, our mission is to take this discovery from science to practice. To commercialise the technology, we need to show consistency across different soils, weather and farmer practices, and as CTO, I run trials with three types of stakeholders to achieve this.

Shortly after launching our venture in 2021, we commissioned a small number of trials across 5 countries with a leading contract research organisation (CRO). We started with Replicated Small Plot Trials (RSPTs) to optimise dose, formulation, and timing of application and refine our minimum viable product.

Last autumn, with Innovate UK and ADAS support, we began on-farm trials with 10 UK farmers at the hectare scale. Real-world feedback is essential to shaping a product that delivers value on the ground.

With new investment recently secured to scale up T6P production, we will be producing more samples to potential distributors interested in evaluating our T6P in key markets. These partners help us learn a huge amount about the practices of farmers in different countries.

Read the full article here

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9th September 2025
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