Real-time detection of crop stressors helps develop new crop protection

Swiss-based technology company Vivent announced today a new partnership with Bayer which grants the company access to the  system PhytlSigns. 

PhytlSigns provides real-time detection of crop stressors such as fungal diseases, insect infestations and nutrient deficiencies, well before a plant shows visual signs. Bayer researchers will use the technology in their development of new crop protection chemistry.

The announcement comes at a time when farmers worldwide report losing as much as 50 percent of their crops to stressors such as weeds, insects, diseases, and adverse environmental effects. PhytlSigns biosensors detect these problems using a plants’ own signals.  Growers then receive alerts regarding the stressors so they can take immediate corrective action.

Real-time detection
“Helping grow more food through real-time detection of crop responses to environmental changes and a wide range of threats is the foundation of our technology,” said Carrol Plummer, of Vivent. “Our sensors record these signals and with our unique analytical approach which uses machine learning, the signals can be interpreted.”

Bayer will leverage PhytlSigns’ early detection of plant stressors to potentially accelerate the research and development of new crop protection products needed by farmers around the world.

“Bayer scientists consistently challenge themselves to quickly discover new generations of crop protection substances that meet the expectations of farmers and society,” said Sybille Lamprecht, a researcher from Bayer Crop Science in Monheim. “PhytlSigns allows us to speed up our decision-making on potential crop protection products.”