Adhesive tapes help power advances in sustainable crop protection

BioScout, an Australian ag‑tech startup developing an AI‑enabled early warning system for fungal pathogens, has secured A$6.75 million ($4.8 million) in seed funding to accelerate its global expansion. The round was co‑led by Demea Sustainable Investment and Astanor, with additional backing from GrainInnovate, GrainCorp Ventures, Hort Innovation Venture Fund, Artesian and Division Q. The company plans to increase its network of airborne‑spore sensors from 250 to 1,000 units by 2029, with a particular focus on Europe and major crop‑production regions worldwide.

BioScout’s system is designed to detect airborne fungal threats before visible symptoms appear in the field, enabling growers to reduce routine fungicide applications and shift toward targeted, data‑driven disease management. A key part of this process is a simple but critical material: clear adhesive tape, which serves as the primary collection surface for airborne spores.

Early detection relies on adhesive tape-based spore sampling

Each BioScout sensor continuously draws in air using a wind vane and deposits captured particles, including fungal spores, onto adhesive tape. After each sampling cycle, the tape is automatically advanced beneath a microscope that records hundreds of high-resolution images. These images are analysed using trained AI models capable of identifying more than 40 airborne threats.

The tape’s optical clarity, adhesion stability and durability in outdoor conditions are essential to maintaining consistent sample quality. Without a reliable adhesive substrate, BioScout’s automated detection workflow would lose accuracy and efficiency, limiting growers’ ability to act before infections spread.

Founder and CEO Lewis Collins, PhD, notes that growers often rely on fixed spray schedules because fungal infections are typically invisible until they have already reproduced. BioScout’s early warning system aims to change that dynamic by providing real time spore level data and alerts.

Tape-enabled monitoring supports targeted, lower impact spray decisions

Acting on spore level signals rather than spraying to a calendar can reduce chemical use by up to 50% in high value crops, lowering costs and environmental impact. The company has validated its technology through genetic testing, morphology and field trials across multiple crops, including potatoes, onions, canola, soybeans and lettuce.

Sensor density varies by crop and pathogen, with broadacre grains requiring regional coverage and vineyards needing more localised monitoring. As BioScout expands internationally, demand is expected to grow for specialised adhesive tapes that support long term outdoor deployment, automated sampling and high clarity imaging. These include tapes with enhanced optical properties, UV stable adhesives and biodegradable options for low impact agricultural use.

While BioScout’s AI models and agronomy insights drive its broader value proposition, adhesive tapes remain an essential part of the system’s functionality. Their role in reliable spore capture highlights how industrial materials continue to support emerging sustainability technologies across sectors, including agriculture.

BioScout’s next phase will focus on scaling deployments, adapting the system for greenhouse environments and integrating additional data sources to improve disease risk forecasting. As growers seek more precise tools to manage rising disease pressure, the company’s tape-based sampling approach is helping make early detection more accessible and actionable.

Further information

• BioScout (Australian ag tech startup)
• BioScout raises $4.8m for early warning system for fungal pathogens