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AgTech360

AgTech360

AgTech 360 75 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

From the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative at NC State comes a podcast that takes a 360° view of emerging agriculture technologies. Join the host, N.C. PSI Executive Director Adrian Percy as he speaks with academic researchers, industry experts, growers, producers, Extension specialists, and others in the agtech community.

Episodes

The Next Wave of AI in Agriculture
The Next Wave of AI in Agriculture Aug 19, 2026 1661 Ranveer Chandra, Vice President at Microsoft, shares his perspective on how artificial intelligence is reshaping agriculture. From the importance of high-quality data and digital infrastructure to the role of collaboration and specialized AI models, he explores what it will take to unlock AI's full potential and how these technologies can help solve some of agriculture's biggest challeng
Building the Foundation: Teaching AI to See
Building the Foundation: Teaching AI to See Aug 4, 2026 1086  Dr. Steven Mirsky of USDA's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) explains how the digital infrastructure behind artificial intelligence is being built today to power the future of agriculture. From computer vision and image repositories to BenchBot and the Digital Agricultural Systems Hub (DASH), he shares how researchers are creating the datasets, tools, and standards needed to train AI
Trait Innovation and the Future of Farming
Trait Innovation and the Future of Farming May 19, 2026 1832 Charlie Baxter, Head of Trait R&D at Syngenta discusses how plant traits, biotechnology and genome editing are shaping the future of agriculture. From insect resistance and herbicide tolerance to AI-driven trait discovery and precision breeding, Charlie explains how crop trait innovation is helping farmers improve yield, strengthen climate resilience and advance sustainable farming practices.
AgTech at a Crossroads: Capital, Innovation, and Resilience
AgTech at a Crossroads: Capital, Innovation, and Resilience Mar 18, 2026 1757 In this final episode of the Climate-Ready Agriculture series, agtech investor and innovation advisor Mark Brooks shares insights on how new technologies, research, and business decisions are shaping the future of agriculture. The conversation explores emerging trends in agtech, how climate challenges are influencing real-world decisions across the food system, and why stronger collaboration betwe
AI-Powered Plant Breeding with Avalo
AI-Powered Plant Breeding with Avalo Mar 4, 2026 1420 Mariano Alvarez, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Avalo, shares how AI and machine learning are reshaping plant breeding. From genomic prediction to advanced modeling and data-driven decision-making, we explore how advanced tools are accelerating crop development and helping breeders tackle complex traits like heat tolerance, drought response, and nitrogen use efficiency.  The conversation
MRV: From Measurement to Impact with Bill Salas
MRV: From Measurement to Impact with Bill Salas Feb 18, 2026 1031 In this episode, Bill Salas, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at Regrow, explains how MRV—measurement, reporting, and verification—is helping agriculture quantify environmental and agronomic outcomes at the field level. The conversation explores how satellite data, models, and farm-level information come together to support climate-ready agriculture, enable regenerative programs, and help grow
Soil Microbes and Crop Resilience with Dr. Amy Grunden
Soil Microbes and Crop Resilience with Dr. Amy Grunden Feb 4, 2026 1021 Dr. Amy Grunden, professor of microbiology at NC State University, discusses how soil biology and plant–microbe interactions play a critical role in crop resilience under heat, drought, and other climate stresses. She shares insights into how microbial diversity supports nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and overall plant health, and how interdisciplinary research is deepening our understandi
Using Biologicals to Tackle Resistance and Protect Global Food Systems
Using Biologicals to Tackle Resistance and Protect Global Food Systems Dec 18, 2025 789  Dr. Louise Thatcher of CSIRO shares insights into how biological crop protection tools are helping address resistance challenges and support more resilient food systems. The discussion highlights the science behind microbial discovery, the journey from lab to field, and why consistency, grower trust, and regulatory alignment are essential for scaling biologicals globally. The conversation offers
Microbes at Work: Nature-Based Crop Protection in Action
Microbes at Work: Nature-Based Crop Protection in Action Dec 11, 2025 840 Isabel Vercauteren, CEO and co-founder of Aphea Bio, shares how microbes are being harnessed to create new biocontrol and biostimulant solutions for agriculture. She explains how Aphea Bio’s advanced R&D platform identifies promising microbial candidates, and discusses the opportunities and challenges of bringing biological products to market. Learn more about the future of biologicals, the ev
Science in Sequence: How RNAi is Transforming Crop Health
Science in Sequence: How RNAi is Transforming Crop Health Nov 19, 2025 825 GreenLight Biosciences’ CCO Mark Singleton explains how RNA interference (RNAi) technology is opening a new pathway for sustainable crop protection. Learn how RNAi works, why it offers a highly targeted and biodegradable alternative to traditional chemistry, and how the company’s innovations are shaping the future of plant health. Tune in to hear how RNA-based tools are moving from scientific conc
Molecular Precision: Micropeptides and the Next Wave of Biologicals
Molecular Precision: Micropeptides and the Next Wave of Biologicals Nov 5, 2025 1134 CTO Mikael Courbot shares how Micropep is harnessing plant-derived micropeptides —tiny, naturally occurring molecules designed with AI and advanced modeling — to precisely target weeds and diseases. Learn how this breakthrough approach is giving farmers powerful, sustainable biological alternatives to traditional crop protection chemicals.
Field Tested, Fully Charged: Monarch’s Electric Tractor Breakthrough
Field Tested, Fully Charged: Monarch’s Electric Tractor Breakthrough Oct 29, 2025 1031 Chris Whitney, Chief Digital Officer at Monarch Tractor, shares how the company’s fully electric, driver-optional tractor is redefining power and productivity on the farm. By combining clean energy, advanced autonomy, and intelligent data systems, Monarch is helping drive a more efficient and sustainable future for agriculture. 

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