TALiS Research

1. Robotics for Management and Harvesting

Pioneering the use of robotics for management and harvesting, transforming agricultural practices. By deploying advanced robotic systems, we are automating tasks such as planting, tending, and harvesting crops, enhancing efficiency and precision. These innovations reduce labor costs, increase productivity, and promote sustainable farming, ensuring a resilient and thriving agricultural ecosystem

2. Precision Agriculture

Optimizing resource use and crop performance through data-driven management at the field scale. By integrating sensors, GPS guidance, and variable-rate application technologies, we are tailoring inputs to specific field conditions, reducing waste, and maximizing yields. These practices enhance profitability, minimize environmental impact, and support sustainable intensification of agricultural production.

3. Digital Agriculture and Smart Systems

Advancing agriculture through connected digital platforms and intelligent systems that integrate data across the farm operation. By deploying IoT devices, cloud-based analytics, and real-time decision interfaces, we are enabling farmers to manage operations more effectively, respond quickly to changing conditions, and optimize resource use. These integrated systems enhance productivity, reduce costs, and support more sustainable and resilient agricultural enterprises.

1. Genetic Improvement and Genomics

Accelerating crop and livestock improvement through advanced genomic tools and technologies. By leveraging DNA sequencing, marker-assisted selection, and genomic prediction, we are developing varieties and breeds that are more productive, resilient to climate stress, and better suited to sustainable production systems. These advances enhance yield potential, reduce input requirements, and support long-term food security and agricultural sustainability.

2. Bioenergy and Bioprocessing Systems

Converting agricultural and forestry biomass into renewable energy and bioproducts through innovative conversion technologies. By developing efficient bioprocessing methods, we are creating value from crop residues, forestry waste, and dedicated energy crops, reducing waste streams and providing farmers with additional revenue opportunities. These advances support circular economy principles, reduce fossil fuel dependence, and strengthen rural economies.

3. Food, Bioproducts, and Sustainable Materials

Developing novel materials and chemical products from renewable agricultural and forest resources. By advancing biorefining and chemical conversion technologies, we are creating sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products in packaging, textiles, construction, and chemical industries. These innovations reduce environmental impact, create new markets for agricultural products, and support more circular and resilient supply chains.

4. Soils and Microbiomes

Unlocking the potential of soil biology and microbial communities to enhance crop health, productivity, and sustainability. By discovering soil microbiomes, developing microbial inoculants, and deploying management practices that enhance beneficial soil organisms, we are improving nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and soil structure. These advances increase crop resilience, reduce chemical inputs, and support long-term soil health and productivity.

1. Livestock and Wildlife Monitoring

Harnessing cutting-edge technologies to revolutionize livestock and wildlife monitoring. By deploying sensors, GPS tracking, and data analytics, we are enhancing animal health, optimizing resource use, and ensuring livestock security. Simultaneously, we are tracking wildlife movements and studying habitats to bolster conservation efforts. These initiatives drive agricultural productivity and sustainability while promoting biodiversity and natural resource conservation.

2. Insect Population and Community Monitoring

Transforming insect population and community monitoring through innovative technologies. By using advanced sensors and data analytics, we are tracking insect behaviors and population dynamics, enabling early detection of pest outbreaks and promoting ecological balance. These efforts enhance agricultural productivity, safeguard crops, and support biodiversity, driving sustainable farming practices and environmental conservation.

3. Plant Disease Monitoring

Revolutionizing plant disease monitoring with cutting-edge technologies. By using advanced sensors and data analytics, we are detecting and tracking disease outbreaks in real-time, enabling swift intervention and prevention. These efforts safeguard crop health, boost agricultural productivity, and promote sustainable farming practices, ensuring a resilient and thriving agricultural ecosystem.

4. Habitat Quality Monitoring

Enhancing habitat quality monitoring through innovative technologies. By deploying advanced sensors and data analytics, we are assessing environmental conditions, tracking changes, and identifying areas needing conservation. These efforts support biodiversity, improve ecosystem health, and promote sustainable land management, ensuring a thriving natural environment.

5. Controlled Environment Agriculture

Advancing controlled environment agriculture to optimize crop production. By using state-of-the-art technologies, we are creating ideal growing conditions, regulating climate variables, and monitoring plant health. These innovations enhance yield, reduce resource use, and promote sustainable farming practices, ensuring a resilient and efficient agricultural system.

6. Modeling for Crop Management

Advancing crop management and conservation through sophisticated modeling techniques. By using predictive models and data analytics, we are optimizing planting schedules, resource allocation, and pest control strategies. These efforts enhance crop yields, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainable farming practices, ensuring a resilient and efficient agricultural system.

7. Plant Monitoring and Phenotyping

Advancing plant monitoring and phenotyping to quantify growth, architecture, physiology, and stress responses across scales and environments. By integrating high‑throughput imaging (RGB, multispectral/hyperspectral, thermal, fluorescence), LiDAR, and proximal sensors with machine vision, AI, and robotics/UAV platforms, we capture trait dynamics from leaf to canopy in both field and controlled environments. These capabilities enable rapid, objective trait assessment, accelerate breeding cycles, guide precision management, and provide early detection of nutritional deficiencies and abiotic/biotic stress. The resulting insights increase productivity, reduce input use, and improve resilience while supporting data‑driven, sustainable crop improvement and production.

8. Decision Support Tool Development

Driving innovation in decision support tool development to enhance agricultural and conservation outcomes. By creating advanced analytical tools, we are empowering farmers and land managers to make informed decisions about resource use, crop management, and environmental protection. These tools improve efficiency, promote sustainable practices, and ensure the long-term health of agricultural and natural ecosystems.