Iowa Farmers Test Disease Detection Technology to Stay Ahead of Threats

Last year, soybean diseases robbed an estimated 216.5 million bushels. Corn diseases took an even bigger chunk at nearly 1.3 billion bushels worth more than $5.2 billion, according to the Crop Protection Network. InnerPlant’s technology is looking to help bring down those numbers by identifying stress signals before physical symptoms appear on plants.

Adam Chipman is using InnerPlant’s disease detection network this season to monitor his soybean fields. He’s made spot spray applications where disease has been detected, but he’s avoided broad applications, saving money and even time across his 750 soybean acres.

In 2027, InnerPlant is launching CropVoice Whole Farm, an updated version of their disease detection network that works on corn.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for eight years,” says Gary Schaefer, chief commercial officer for InnerPlant. “We are introducing this similar technology that we have in soybeans into corn, so that farmers can have the option and the ability to manage their entire farming operation.”

How the Technology Works

The company developed a seed biotech trait that turns soybeans into living sensors that detect disease at the molecular level. The soybeans deliver a fluorescent optimal signal within 48 hours of a fungal infection before any visible symptoms appear. The company places its soybeans on sentinel plots that act like an early alert system in a defined geography, while analyzing the data coming in from the plots 24/7.

It typically takes weeks to visually detect certain diseases in crops. Chipman has the ability to receive weekly scouting reports and real-time alerts when an active infection is detected near his fields. InnerPlant can communicate these reports through text, email, the John Deere Operation Center and a dashboard in 2027.

“It’s been very helpful to determine what to spray, when to spray, those types of things in beans,” Chipman explains.

When it comes to disease detection, farmers have to rely on indirect signals, such as weather forecasts, the crop’s growth stage, the time of the year and historical disease pressure to navigate the best ways to protect their crops. Now the technology’s goal is to allow the plant itself to communicate when a disease is present.

Farmer Hopes Tech Will Spot White Mold Faster

According to Matt Danner, the true test for this technology will be discovering white mold. Danner, the co-owner of Templeton Family Farms in Iowa, describes white mold as “the king of all kings” in terms of diseases where he farms.

White mold will creep into the plant and will not be visible to the naked eye until around three weeks. Danner is hopeful that using InnerPlant’s technology will cut down that detection window to two days.

“There’s not really a killer for white mold, but there are some suppression mechanisms,” Danner says. “However, we don’t know if they work any better on day one than they do on day 13.”

The Iowa farmer shares he will have a better understanding of how well this technology works at the end of the season. If CropVoice lives up to its promise, Danner says it will be another piece of the puzzle to keep crops as healthy as possible.

“It looks to be very promising and very helpful,” Danner explains. “It adds a layer of real science to the decision-making we’re already doing.”

Stacking Tech Could Cut Fungicide Costs

Danner says it’s all about using the best technology available. He shares stacking technology such as individual nozzle control on his sprayer with CropVoice could lead to savings in the future as he targets hotspots.

“It’s a convergence of technologies and stacking them to get more assurance of the money I’m spending,” Danner says.