The overarching goal of this project was to advance the testing of a new soybean trait that will provide growers with early and reliable detection of fungal disease pressure from low-cost satellite scouting by creating biosensor plants that signal disease pressure through the expression of a fluorescent optical signal. We made significant progress towards this goal by demonstrating that we can detect fluorescence from always-on calibrator plants using a variety of satellite instruments and algorithms. Through achieving our deliverables, this project greatly improved our understanding of the methodologies InnerPlant will utilize to detect signals from our biosensor plants.

We now have more confidence in our ability to provide low-cost detection capability across large acreage which is requisite to our vision of allowing soybean plants to signal their needs to farmers, providing them with enough time, specificity, and precision to take action. This should result in improved yields and smarter usage of crop protection products.