Engineering Autonomy: John Deere’s AI-Powered Tractors at Work
Aaron Wells, Director of Engineering & Autonomy at Blue River Technology, a John Deere company, discusses the evolution of agricultural machinery—from traditional horsepower to advanced hardware and artificial intelligence. He explains how John Deere’s next-generation perception system, known as the “eyes and brain” of autonomous tractors, is transforming modern farming. This episode explores how AI, machine vision, and retrofit kits are making autonomy in agriculture possible, the engineering challenges of scaling autonomous tractors, and the future of precision ag technology for large-scale farming.
--------
14:50
--------
14:50
Microbial Innovation Meets Gene Editing: New Biological Solutions for Agriculture
Tom Williams, Director of Microbiology at BioConsortia, discusses how beneficial microbes are driving more sustainable agriculture by boosting nutrient availability, soil health, and crop performance. He shares how BioConsortia’s advanced microbial discovery platform and gene editing technologies are unlocking new opportunities for plant health and yield. The conversation also explores regulatory frameworks, grower adoption, and the exciting future of biological solutions in agriculture.
--------
13:56
--------
13:56
New Center, New Frontier: Tim Kelliher Leads NC State’s Genome Editing Mission
Newly appointed Director of NC State’s Genome Editing Center (GEC), Tim Kelliher, shares his unique path from organic farming to the forefront of plant science. He explains how advances in genome editing offer a faster, more precise alternative to traditional breeding—delivering vital solutions for farmers in as little as 5–8 years. Get an inside look at the GEC and how genome editing is shaping the future of agriculture.
--------
19:56
--------
19:56
Bananas, Biotech, and Beyond: Gene Editing with Tropic
Dr. Eyal Maori, co-founder of Tropic, is using advanced gene editing technologies to revolutionize tropical crops such as bananas, rice, and coffee. The conversation explores how Tropic developed proprietary tools like Agrotrop and GEiGS to overcome the unique challenges of editing tropical crops. Dr. Maori also highlights Tropic’s work on non-browning and longer shelf-life bananas, engagement with growers, the evolving regulatory landscape, and the company's vision to bring meaningful innovation to tropical regions where food security is most urgent.
--------
22:17
--------
22:17
CRISPR, Then and Now: A 2025 Update with Rodolphe Barrangou
Genome editing pioneer Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou returns to AgTech 360 to share how CRISPR has advanced and expanded since his last appearance in 2021, transforming from a breakthrough technology into a global force across medicine, agriculture, and beyond. From scientific breakthroughs to real-world applications, he highlights how genome editing is reshaping food systems, farming, and human health. Rodolphe shares insights on the FDA approval of CRISPR-based therapies, the rise of gene-edited crops in global markets, and the growing role of AI in designing precision edits. He also reflects on the progress of regulatory frameworks, the importance of public trust, and what scientists, companies, and governments must consider as CRISPR scales from the lab to the marketplace.
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.
España