Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

How rare collard greens stewarded by generations of southerners ended up in an East St. Louis greenhouse. Plus, how they might help feed more people amid climate change.

Today’s agricultural staples are planted into the ground each growing season, but Kernza remains in the ground for years, improving soil conditions.

In the year since a nonprofit was established to run the innovation district, it’s made strides to build out more real estate and solidify St. Louis’ position as a leader in the plant sciences and agriculture sectors.

“How do we create conditions where it makes more sense for a company to either stay in St. Louis, or move here, if they want to do something related to agtech?” the innovation district’s executive director said.

The region’s growing geospatial and established agriculture and plant sciences sectors put it in a unique position to drive the innovations that will help farmers adapt to new climate conditions while reducing carbon emissions at the same time.

The new initiative aims to help Latin American startups in agtech or geospatial land in St. Louis and also help similar companies in St. Louis more easily expand to those international markets.

Agriculture companies are looking for people who are interested in science and the majority of jobs aren’t in rural areas of the country. Hiring managers are increasingly looking for people who don’t have traditional ag backgrounds.

Golden rice was recently approved for commercial propagation in the Philippines after years of discussion. Donald MacKenzie, executive director of the Institute for International Crop Improvement at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, explains what he did to bring it to fruition.

In 2017, plant scientist, Nadia Shakoor developed the PheNode device, a solar-powered environmental sensor and phenotyping station for crops. Sensors and cameras on the tool take real-time measurements of everything from humidity to soil pH. And this past summer, she won a $1.4 million federal grant to enhance the platform by adding an autonomous drone. It’s called FieldDock. And it just might be a game-changer.

William H. Danforth II, who took the reins of Washington University during a period of financial uncertainty and cultural strife and helped defuse animosities by reading bedtime stories to students, has died. He was 94.