A solution for nurseries to combat plant pathogens and reduce mortality

Plant diseases caused by pathogens like Phytophthora, Fusarium, and Pythium pose significant challenges for growers, leading to crop losses and reduced productivity. However, an innovative solution involving the on-site generation of hydrogen peroxide has emerged as a powerful tool for mitigating these…

How will the hybrid potato change the international potato sector?

Is the hybrid potato the new weapon in the fight for greater food security? The hybrid version of this popular crop could make a huge difference, especially in the agricultural regions of Africa. But it could also play a major role in the transition to sustainable agriculture in the West. On Friday 2…

Hydrogel-based substrate shows promising results for CEA growers

"We're currently seeing some issues regarding the sustainability of existing growing media. For starters, the disposal of the growing medium after usage, contamination of the product from the growing medium, supply chain issues due to the shortage of growing medium, legislative concerns, and the growing…

"Removing pathogens from tomato storage is crucial for shelf-life"

The Hungarian company Nemeskert Kft. operates greenhouses encompassing 13 hectares, powered by geothermal energy. With 9 hectares dedicated to tomato cultivation, the company yields an impressive annual harvest of 4,000 to 4,500 metric tons. Additionally, Nemeskert Kft. cultivates secondary products such…

How to control the microbiome in soilless cultivation?

Although using microbes in traditional soil agriculture is very well established, the same can’t be said for soilless cultivation. “In this space, there’s an understanding that microbes in the system are crucial, but there’s simply a lack of tools to understand everything that goes on in there. So,…

Importance of climate and context alongside yield prediction in tomato production

Tomato growers face the challenge of predicting yields accurately, which is crucial for their business operations and forecasting. However, traditional yield prediction models often fail to account for sudden spikes or dips in actual yield, known as yield swings. These unpredictable variations can be…

Scientists assemble first complete genetic sequence for blackberries

An international team of scientists has assembled the first complete sequence of the blackberry genome, creating a genetic tool that will help guide fruit breeders to develop new varieties with improved flavor, hardiness, and other desired characteristics. Margaret Worthington, associate professor and…

Assisted cherry pollination in Chile part of smart solutions now expanding to Europe

Hard times call for smart solutions. This includes assisted pollination of cherries and kiwi fruit as well as portable anti-frost machines. These are just some of the solutions that Chile’s Zimex Smart Agro has turned to as part of their focused smart solutions to solve and meet the needs of growers.…

The first fully purple sprouting broccoli

Sakata Seed Ibérica presents Tyrian, the first sprouting broccoli variety on the market that is completely purple in its florets and stems. “Once again, Sakata, a leading brassica company, continues to lead the way in innovation with the addition of Tyrian.” This new variety stands out for its color, which…

Agrisolar and floating solar power might be a solution for drought in Europe

The EU Joint Research Centre’s (JRC) latest report on droughts in Europe predicts that summer 2023 will be even drier than last year. The situation in Spain, northern Italy,…

Nigerian tech enthusiast invents system to preserve tomatoes

Tech enthusiast Daniel Oseni has invented a cooling system called PeriPES. It is designed to successfully preserve and store tomatoes for up to 3 to 4 months. PeriPES works by…

Tomato open day for the mini and midi plum segments

After the appointment of Saro Tumino as the new general manager for Italy, international seed company Harmoniz - which was recently created from the merger of TomaTech and Nirit Seeds - continues to demonstrate the high strategic value of the Italian table tomato market. This time, the company is…

Apple shelf-life extension technology spans across companies of all sizes

Apples have been an anchor commodity for Hazel Technologies since the company launched in 2016. “Starting out in the apple category really made sense for us because we knew that growers trusted the basis of our product (1-MCP) and could easily understand how unique variation could benefit their…

Edible CBD coating could extend the shelf life of strawberries

Soon, you’ll be able to get a box of freshly picked, sweet strawberries from the grocery store or local farm stand. But it’s disappointing when you get them home and find that the ones at the bottom have started to rot. To increase the berries’ shelf life, researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materials &…

Dealing with lack of personnel one robot at a time

A robot that interacts, delivers products and smiles? That is what FreshPlaza witnessed at TuttoFood 2023. Its name is Bellabot and it was developed by iServe. "Our robots are designed to perform various functions in different retail scenarios, improving efficiency and reducing costs for companies. Our…

Chitosan-based avocado coating might improve shelf life

ACS Food Science & Technology researchers claim a chitosan-based coating can preserve avocados for longer periods. Researchers at the American Chemical Society (ACS) have…

“Our innovation helps to cut water consumption when cleaning fruit and vegetables”

In a context where water is becoming increasingly scarce and must be preserved, Fastnaet has developed a system that drastically reduces the consumption of this precious resource when equipment is being cleaned. “It all started when I was visiting a client who is a golf course owner. Specialized in the…

New varieties aim to bring high resistance to ToBRFV

Enza Zaden offers 18 varieties with High Resistance to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV). The varieties are available in all significant tomato types and do not compromise on taste, yield, or quality, according to the company.  Until now, the only controls against ToBRFV have been strict phytosanitary…

Black rind and red flesh: the midi seedless watermelon the big retail chain was looking for

Characterized by a bright red flesh and a dark green - almost black -rind, Dolce Passione watermelons are now part of a consortium. Consorzio Dolce Passione was in fact presented at Macfrut - a fully Italian project that is the result of over 7 years of research that have brought to the tables of…

UBCO researchers aim to energize fruit waste

UBC Okanagan researchers are looking at the potential of using fruit waste—both solid and leachate—to power fuel cells. While the energy extracted from food scraps still pales in comparison to solar or wind power, researchers are working towards purifying and improving the energy output of discarded…

“Our vertical farm ensures a regular income for producers while saving natural resources”

At the 2023 edition of medFEL, Futura Gaïa was present at the Lab’innov innovation space reserved for startups involved in the challenges of tomorrow. This innovative company specializes in automated vertical cultivation on soil, in a system that is cylindrical in shape. “The plants turn around the lamp,…

Zucchiolo: a new greenhouse vegetable for the European market

Beyond Seeds has recently presented Zucchiolo, a novel concept in the greenhouse horticultural segment that is bound to leave nobody in the European industry indifferent. "Zucchiolo is a new vegetable concept. It derives from a cucurbit native to South America that is a cross between a zucchini and a…

"LIFE Farmitank vertical farming project starts crop demonstration trials"

"Parcitank's main production line is focused on the manufacture of stainless steel tanks, and we had the idea of using them to house a vertical farming system, with fully controlled conditions, that could help us optimize the production in the smallest possible acreage," said Cristian Nieves. "This is…

“It will no longer be possible to lie about the geographical origin or the organic certification”

Evelyne Adjei Mensah, PhD in geochemistry, came to the innovation space of medFEL 2023, the Lab'innov, in order to present Trust in Isotopes, the company she has just created. This new company offers a traceability service based on isotopic analysis. The method helps determine the geographical origin of…

State of Georgia: Student uses 3D scanning to inform peaches of the future

Jordan Knapp-Wilson is a well-known sight at a peach orchard near the University of Georgia Griffin campus. The orchard is equipped with a myriad of laser-equipped scanners,…

LemonGold seedless lemons unlock markets for the “new salt”

“Seedless lemons have been called the holy grail of the citrus industry with its novel solution to the frustrations of fishing out pips from freshly squeezed juice,” says Abs van Rooyen, founder of the ClemenGold® mandarin brand owned by Fruitalyst. The company has taken the lead in the branding and…

Liquidseal invites South African citrus exporters to join a subsidised commercial trial

After several years of using Liquidseal on South African citrus, both organic and conventional, with the support of Citrus Research International, the Dutch company is at the point of scaling up the presence of its product in the country.Liquidseal, represented by Gerber Fresh in South Africa, therefore…

Fruit and vegetable companies are interested in the mobile fruit and vegetable processing unit

AINIA has presented a mobile unit that allows farmers to process IV range fruits and vegetables on the field where they're grown and obtain ready-to-eat products with greater added value. The mobile unit selects, processes, and packages fresh fruits and vegetables using more sustainable packaging…

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Researchers develop new drought tolerant variety of tomatoes

Researchers at Hebrew University, Israel have succeeded in developing tomato varieties capable of producing a high yield even in extreme drought conditions. The study was published in the journal PNAS. The study was led by doctoral student Shai Torgeman and Professor Dani Zamir from the Faculty of…

New robot uses vacuum system to harvest tomatoes

The future of food production will require greater efficiencies, sustainable practices, and maximizing yields at every step. To optimize the future production of tomatoes, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds recently worked with Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Four Growers, Inc. to test the GR-100 robotic harvester in tomato…

Saucony

Saucony creates Sustainable Shadow sneakers using mushroom-based formula

For its Spring/Summer 2023 collection, Saucony has crafted its staple Shadow 6000 in its most sustainably minded construction to date. The Massachusetts banner looks to an alternative 90% bio-based formula derived from fungi for the pale cream foxing, heel tab, and mid-foot. Saucony Shadow 6000 "Mushroom" / Image:…

Unlocking the appeal and nutritional value of mashed potatoes for 3D food printing

Emerging technology in the realm of food production has given rise to 3D food printing. This innovative technique allows for the production of complex shapes on demand.…

p2raumdesign GmbH / Spargelhof Strampe

"Technology offers many advantages in both the peak and off seasons"

The Nordheim-based company p2raumdesign has developed a display window specially designed for the fresh food counters used by numerous direct marketers throughout Germany, which can be inserted into the body of the counter if required. From a sales counter in full service with sales personnel, it can be…

Evaporative pad made of self-extinguishing PVC launched

The introduction to the market of plastic products signed by Termotecnica Pericoli continues at full speed. After the success achieved with the ACF21p air circulation fan, their new challenge is to launch an evaporative pad made of self-extinguishing PVC. As is already known, evaporative cooling is a simple…

Vilmorin-Mikado Atlas launches ToBRFV-resistant tomato varieties in Morocco

The tomato industry in Morocco is currently enduring one of its worst seasons, suffering the full brunt of commercial challenges and natural hazards. Among these hazards and not the least, the phytosanitary damage - namely the ToBRFV virus - is behind the loss of 10-15% of volumes this season, according…

An introduction of post harvest solutions in Brazil

Liquidseal is pleased to announce the official introduction of its post harvest coatings in Brazil. Distributor agent David Sánchez | GreenKeeper Brazil and Sales Manager Jerry van Galen recently embarked on a two-week introductory tour to conduct commercial trials for their markets in the São Paulo,…

Nido One V2, a new system for hydroponic management

The latest innovation when it comes to the automated management of fertigation in protected crops went on sale a few days ago. Nido One V2 is the updated version of a tested system that has been made more efficient and high performing. "Our automated management system is installed in only a few minutes:…

REV technology could become a game changer for healthy snacks

Radiant energy under vacuum (REV) technology is a process in which microwave energy and vacuum pressure are combined to deliver high-speed and low-temperature food…

ToBRFV-resistant tomato variety launches in Italy

Vilmorin-Mikado Italia launches Giubilo F1 from Hazera into the market. This variety has a ToBRFV intermediate resistance. Result of 7 years of research and development, Giubilo F1 is a solution for growers facing severe disease pressure in Italy from this highly infectious virus. "Giubilo F1 has an…

How tolerance to stress can be improved for cherries and other tree crops

“The role of the cuticle, whether it’s on the fruit, seeds or foliage, is very important for plant health and leads to healthy plants and high-quality fruit. However, the cuticle can be compromised by biotic and abiotic stresses,” says Luis Hernandez, CEO at Cultiva. Cultiva is a US company that has…

Swiss AgTech startup Agrinorm secures 7-digit funding

Agrinorm, a Zurich-based AgTech startup, has secured a 7-digit round of financing to further develop their AI-powered software for quality risk management in the fresh produce value chains. The funding round was led by QBIT Capital and supported by renowned SICTIC investors, among others, Thomas Dübendorfer,…

Argentina has a new national onion variety

A research team from INTA San Pedro –Buenos Aires– registered its third onion cultivar in the National Register of Cultivars of the National Seed Institute. This new variety…

New high-tech mini cucumber offers uniformity and labor efficiency

Enza Zaden is excited to introduce Analisa, a beautiful dark green mini cucumber that complements their expanding cucumber program, featuring long English varieties, slicers, and pickling, along with minis.  Roberto Haveroth, the Product Development Specialist at Enza Zaden, expressed his enthusiasm for the variety,…