Kubota Invests in Tree Crop Tech

Kubota Corporation has invested in Bloomfield Robotics, Inc. a start-up company based in the U.S. that uses image analysis technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to assess plant growth and detect pests on grape, blueberry, and other tree crops.

In an announcement from Kubota, the company said the move will deliver solutions to make tree crop farming more efficient and productive.

Bloomfield uses proprietary cameras. The cameras can be mounted on any farm vehicle to collect image data on the color, maturity, and the size of fruits and leaves during operation. AI then processes, analyzes, and assesses such image data to propose anti-pest measures and the optimal time to harvest crops, Kubota reported.

The short-term performance assessment offered by these services enables tree crop farmers to adjust to circumstances early and quickly, which stands to improve yields and reduce costs, Kubota said.

Kubota’s investment in Bloomfield is a joint venture with SVG Ventures.

Source: Kubota