Last fall at Farm Science Review the AgTech Innovation Hub was announced. The AgTech Innovation Hub is a unique partnership between the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), Nationwide, and the Ohio Farm Bureau that aims to help create and foster research collaborations to tackle climate change challenges.
Today, the inaugural research projects selected to receive funding from the new AgTech Innovation Hub were announced. Projects were selected based on their ability to address and/or understand the risks associated with climate change. Amongst the teams are several researchers from our department.
Without further ado, here's a glimpse into Drs. Laura Lindsey, David Francis and Alex Lindsey's projects:
It Starts and Ends with Seeds: Protecting Soybeans from Pathogens
Drs. Laura Lindsey and Alex Lindsey are working with Dr. Horatio Lopez-Nicora and Dr. Jonathan Jacobs (both with Plant Path) on a multi-part project to protect soybean seed health, improve seed quality, and ensure crop establishment.
Boosting Plant Defenses: Improving Biostimulants and Biopesticides with a New Protein
Dr. David Francis, along with Dr. Guo-Liang Wang (Plant Path), Dr. Dehua Pei (Chemistry and Biochemistry), and Dr. Christopher Taylor (Plant Path), have developed and are testing an innovative protein that fuses with biostimulants and biopesticides to boost efficacy, making them easier to use and more cost effective.
AI for Farming: Harvesting Insights from Data and Drones
Dr. Laura Lindsey is also on another project with Dr. Sami Khanal (FABE) and Dr. Arnab Nandi (CSE) to help simplify the process of identifying crop risks for producers using AI, machine learning, and drones.
We eagerly await to see the impact of all the AgTech Innovation Hub funded projects - you can learn more about all the projects and how the AgTech Innovation Hub is accelerating climate-risk research in the CFAES Knowledge Exchange's Press Release.