Google X uses data and machine learning to improve agricultural practicesNew venture: Heritable Agriculture, earlier announced that it would become an independently operated company.
Heritable AgriculturedisplayAgricultural operations actually produce huge amounts of greenhouse gases (data shows that they account for about 25% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions). At the same time, the spraying of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and other substances can cause soil erosion and water pollution. At the same time, it also consumes a large amount of groundwater, leading to problems such as geological loosening.
Therefore, the Heritable Agriculture project promotes smarter agricultural development through technologies such as data analysis and machine learning. This includes analyzing crop genetic combinations to increase yields, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption, while also enhancing the carbon storage capacity of crop roots and soil.
Heritable Agriculture is growing thousands of plants according to specifications in a specialized growth chamber within Google X for testing and building relevant model data. It is also conducting field operations in California, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, using data analysis to identify more suitable crop cultivation methods and thereby reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment.
Heritable Agriculture was founded and is led by Brad Zamft, a former program director and researcher at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Prior to joining Heritable Agriculture, Zamft served as Chief Scientific Officer at TL Biolabs, a venture-backed startup that uses microarray technology to perform genomic testing on beef and dairy cattle. Zamft joined Google X in 2018.
Brad Zamft said that although the current market tends to increase crop yields through genetic modification, it is currently believed that fundamentally improving crop yields through data analysis is more important, and genetic modification can be used to further increase crop yields in the future.
Heritable Agriculture is currently planning to commercialize its technology and has raised a new round of seed financing through FTW Ventures, Mythos Ventures and SVG Ventures. Google has also invested in the startup and holds a partial equity stake.
