From the Crops’ Perspective: A conversation with Laura Bautista on being the bridge between science and growers.

This rapidly advancing field, brimming with potential and interesting challenges, comes to life through Laura’s reflections  and highlights Delphy’s integral role in supporting growers around the globe.. Her journey, which began with a degree in agricultural engineering and progressed to farm management and a Ph.D. in plant health, positions her uniquely as a translator of science into real-world solutions for growers internationally. Her diverse experiences form the foundation for a career that’s driven by her curiosity and passion for problem-solving.

Stepping into Delphy’s indoor strawberry farm felt like a journey to the future. The facility, illuminated by soft pink lighting, is carefully managed to meticulously address every detail of plant care. It’s a place where the harmony of technology and crop needs come together, reflecting Delphy’s dedication to understanding plants on a deeper level. This immersive space reveals the expertise and care each team member brings to their craft. Here, where the progress of each crop is measured and dipped in the pink light of perfect growing conditions.

Her role at Delphy aligns perfectly with her passion for connecting data, cultivation insight, and practical problem-solving. She describes her day-to-day as both demanding and rewarding, saying, "It's difficult because I'm a little bit of everything," illustrating the complexity of translating science into real-world solutions.  Delphy’s facilities include one hectare of research space, where 90% are advanced greenhouse compartments and the rest indoor farms, allowing for hands-on research in controlled environments that mirror real-world growing challenges. 

For over a decade, Priva's Horticulture technologies have helped to control the greenhouse areas. In their new indoor farm, Priva’s Building Automation technologies control LED lighting and climate, managing humidity, ventilation, and air conditioning. This infrastructure creates a low-stress environment tailored to the needs of each crop.

Vegetable crops (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant) make up about 70% of Delphy’s research, while strawberries, leafy greens (herbs and lettuce), and ornamental plants (chrysanthemum and pot plants) complete the mix.

Laura explains how Delphy leverages predictive models for autonomous growing, enabling growers to plan cycles, predict harvests, and optimize conditions. She also acknowledges the ongoing challenge of standardizing knowledge for the indoor farming sector, where new technologies and varied setups mean constant adaptation and learning.

Indoor farming presents unique obstacles, from high initial costs and energy demands to the pressure of making operations commercially viable. Laura speaks candidly about these early-stage hurdles and Delphy’s focus on developing sustainable practices for the future. At the core of their operations is the Priva Connext system, a backbone technology for managing climate, water, and energy across Delphy’s farms. It integrates multiple elements, allowing for remote supervision, swift adjustments, and real-time problem-solving.

As indoor farms move toward autonomous growing, the need for precise and consistent environmental control is paramount, also to counter labour shortages. Laura emphasizes that advanced climate sensing technology and constant measurement are foundational. At Delphy, research and experimentation mimic real-world conditions faced by commercial growers, leading to actionable insights and reduced human intervention in controlling the processes.

“You essentially have a virtual map of your farm with data captured every five minutes, 24/7,” Laura explains. “This allows for fast detection and responses to potential plant stress, without someone having to be physically present measuring.”

Considering each client's unique requirements and the crop’s most favorable growing conditions, they develop customized cultivation strategies, with the crop's optimal conditions as a constant reference point. Laura points out the shift from traditional greenhouse practices to this approach, emphasizing sustainability goals and the importance of experiential learning at Delphy.

External factors such as policies, particularly those related to energy usage and water efficiency, have influenced cultivation priorities. Laura emphasized the need to cultivate the same crop with reduced energy and/or less water, aligning with sustainability goals.

Even in a tech-heavy environment, Laura values the insight only people can bring: "For decision-making, we still need a human brain." she says, underscoring the balance Delphy strikes between automation and the nuanced judgment of experienced growers.

Standing in Delphy’s indoor farm, she closes with a view toward the future,  emphasizing their ongoing commitment to humanity and problem-solving: "No matter how many challenges we solve, there will be always more to come. They will be just different because things evolve, and we must keep on adapting".