Citrus agricultural technology will be showcased on Dec. 5 in California. Six companies will demonstrate their technology during a VINE Connect Field Day at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Lindcove Research and Extension Center (REC) in Exeter.
VINE Connect is a statewide commercialization program that helps proven ag tech companies bring their technologies to market through direct engagement with California growers. The companies that will demonstrate their products were selected by UC ANR’s innovation arm, UC ANR Innovate, in partnership with Farmhand Ventures.
Field day attendees can engage directly with founders, researchers and growers. The event is free; register here.
California’s citrus growers are contending with rising input costs, tightening water regulations, persistent labor shortages and mounting pest and disease threats. While innovative technologies exist to address these issues, many stall before reaching practical, farm-scale use. VINE Connect closes that gap, supporting companies ready to demonstrate measurable impact under real California field conditions.
The companies that will provide demonstrations are:
- Ag-Bee LLC — Spray drone application services and sales, providing FAA-certified precision pesticide application for specialty crops
- CropX — Comprehensive farm management system featuring spiral-design soil sensors and evapotranspiration monitoring, providing irrigation recommendations that reduce water usage while improving yields
- Evolve Genomix — Rapid, field-use molecular diagnostic test kits for plant pathogen detection, delivering DNA-based results in under an hour
- HotSpot AG — Tailored irrigation and fertigation automation systems designed specifically for permanent crops, offering remote monitoring and control capabilities
- Kingman Ag — Autonomous tractor retrofit solutions that transform conventional tractors from any manufacturer, reducing fuel consumption and labor costs while maintaining operational flexibility
- OnTarget Spray Systems — Electrostatic spraying technology that reduces water usage and diesel consumption while achieving superior coverage
The Dec. 5 field day coincides with Lindcove REC’s annual Fruit Display & Tasting event, where industry members can experience more than 100 citrus varieties.
Source: UC ANR
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