Key Takeaways
- Laudando & Associates filed a patent-pending system integrating photonic treatment and multimodal phenotyping.
- The platform combines greenhouse, field, and harvest-stage data into a closed-loop breeding architecture.
- The approach is designed to support crop improvement without reliance on chemical herbicides.
- The system targets accelerated trait discovery using empirical, multi-stage performance data.
- The architecture is designed for use across row crops, specialty crops, and turf applications.
Laudando & Associates Announces Patent-Pending Crop Improvement System
Laudando & Associates LLC (L&A), an independent agricultural automation and perception company, announced the filing of a new patent-pending system designed to integrate photonic treatment, multimodal phenotyping, and recurrent trait selection into a unified closed-loop architecture for crop improvement.
According to the company, the system is intended to empirically accelerate trait discovery and validation by correlating plant performance across greenhouse, in-field, and harvest-stage environments. The platform is positioned as an alternative to traditional seed development pipelines that prioritize chemical tolerance as the primary selection criterion.
“Modern seed development has been optimized around chemistry for decades,” said Chris Laudando, Founder and President of Laudando & Associates. “We believe the next generation of crop traits will be ‘Photonic Crop Protection-Ready’ and discovered through direct observation, measurement, and iteration.”
Closed-Loop Architecture for Trait Discovery
At the core of the Laudando & Associates platform is a recurrent feedback system designed to link early-stage phenotyping with real-world field performance and harvest outcomes. Rather than relying on isolated trials, breeding decisions are informed by multi-stage phenotype data collected throughout the crop lifecycle.
Integrated Phenotyping Modules
The patent-pending architecture may incorporate several modular components, including:
- Greenhouse phenotyping to assess early plant development and morphology
- In-field phenotyping to evaluate canopy structure, plant architecture, and mechanical performance
- Harvest-stage analysis capturing yield-related attributes such as size, geometry, weight, and moisture
- Optional below-ground phenotyping to correlate root architecture with above-ground traits
These datasets are aggregated into a centralized analysis and trait selection engine, enabling iterative selection across accelerated breeding cycles.
Laudando & Associates Targets Post-Chemical Crop Systems
The system is designed to support crop development compatible with non-chemical, light-based management strategies, including photonic crop protection approaches. By decoupling trait discovery from herbicide tolerance, the company stated that the platform aims to shorten development timelines and improve adaptability across crops and regions.
“Outcomes alone aren’t inventions,” Laudando added. “The hard work is building systems that can reliably discover, measure, and reproduce performance in the real world.”
Broad Applicability and System Flexibility
Laudando & Associates stated that the system is applicable across row crops, specialty vegetables, turf, and consumer agricultural markets. The modular design allows integration with third-party sensing and measurement platforms while maintaining defined system boundaries.
The patent filing establishes priority around the integrated architecture while remaining independent of specific photonic implementations, allowing flexibility as light-based crop management technologies continue to evolve.
