Japanese technology firm Kubota has invested in US start-up Bloomfield Robotics, Inc. a company that uses image analysis technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to assess plant growth and detect pests on grape vines, blueberries, and other orchard crops. Bloomfield’s cameras are mounted on farm vehicles to rapidly collect high-res images of individual plants as they are passed. Images are assessed for key crop growth indicators such as the colour, maturity, size of fruits (yield) and leaves.