Innovation

Growing Innovation

Whether it's cutting edge production facilities in Ethiopia, indoor farming research greenhouses in the Netherlands, or developing "growth recipes" for Autonomous Growing, we have our eye on growing fruits and vegetables in the future. Explore a few of our project below.

Hydroponic Lettuce

Hydroponic lettuces are grown in high densities and, in some cases, almost fully automated systems.

High Density Mechanical Harvesting is one component of these systems that allows hand's free production, which reduces risk of contamination as well as reduce labor needs.

However, plant varieties must be optimized for this type of growing condition, which is why BASF's vegetable seeds business has a cutting edge lettuce research greenhouse and a team dedicated to staying at the forefront of lettuce growing needs.

Autonomous Growing

As the demand for healthy, sustainable produce that is fresh and local increases, many growers are turning to indoor farming in smart greenhouses.

BASF believes in the future of autonomous growing in smart greenhouses - utilizing the protected environment for cleaner, local growth as well as the ability to better monitor and control the growth conditions.

Therefore, BASF's vegetable seeds business has a focus on developing not just genetics for autonomous growing, but also the best "recipe" to ensure optimal growth.

Digital Phenotyping

For centuries, breeding new plant varieties meant collecting phenotypic data by hand. Today, we can use Digital Phenotyping - collecting more data of higher quality and saving time in the process.