Cereals 2026: What Innovations Caught Our Attention?

As part of the Ceres Innovation Group, we’re sharing monthly reflections on the innovations, technologies and ideas shaping agriculture. The aim isn’t simply to highlight new products, but to explore where they may add value in practical farming systems and where further evidence is needed before widespread adoption.

Breeding Continues to Move Forward

While much of the attention at agricultural events is drawn towards digital technologies and automation, crop genetics remain one of the most powerful innovation tools available to growers.

One area that prompted discussion was the continued progress in wheat breeding across the supply chain. Arlington, for example, a milling wheat variety bred for high yield and grain protein reflects both farmer and miller priorities.

More broadly, breeding companies continue to improve yield consistency, vigour and resilience. This season has been challenging for barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), but feed wheat varieties such as Guardsman, a UK adapted line with BYDV resistance and a yield greater than 100% of the controls (in field trials this year), could help reduce risk next year. Other varieties, including Griffin, which is currently a Recommended List Candidate, could also offer protection against orange wheat blossom midge in addition to BYDV, adding further benefits in response to current, elevated field pressures. While crop breeding and genetics is not a novel concept, this year’s varieties are highlighting how genetics are improving at some pace in response to changing field pressures.

Robots Supporting Agronomists, Not Replacing Them

Among the more eye-catching technologies on display was Syngenta’s “Robodog”, ‘an agronomist’s best friend’, as Syngenta’s strapline for the product suggests. This autonomous field scouting ‘dog’ captures leaf level insights, supporting crop monitoring.

It’s easy to see why technologies like this attract attention. The prospect of autonomous systems collecting vast amounts of field-level information has obvious appeal, particularly as labour, time and data collection remain constraints across the industry. However, one of the strongest themes from our discussion was that these technologies should be viewed as tools to support agronomists, rather than replace them – and they are really.

The challenge in modern agriculture is rarely a lack of data (as also highlighted in a Women in Food & Farming panel session discussing how to get tech into the field that members of the Ceres Innovation Group participated in), in fact it is interpreting observations within the wider context of weather, soils, rotations, pest pressures and farm objectives. Technologies such as robotic scouting systems may fine-tune crop walking, but professional judgement remains central to decision-making. In that respect, innovation is likely to enhance agronomy rather than automate it away.

The Growing Role of AI in Crop Monitoring

Artificial intelligence featured heavily across a range of exhibitors and product demonstrations. The likes of SoilBeat, Apps for Agri, Field Mind AI and LEAF have all generated much discussion through their continued development of field monitoring and agronomy support tools. Like many businesses operating in this space, the focus is increasingly shifting beyond simple record keeping towards more streamlined and intelligent collection and interpretation of farm data.

The potential opportunity is clear. Agronomists and farmers already collect large volumes of information, including crop observations, disease assessments, tissue tests, satellite imagery and weather data. AI tools may help bring these datasets together more effectively, identifying patterns and highlighting issues that might otherwise be missed. The key challenge will be ensuring these systems provide actionable insight rather than simply creating another stream of information to review that doesn’t integrate in well-worked systems already.

Soil Data Remains a Challenge

Soil measurement technologies continue to evolve rapidly, with a growing range of scanners and sensors being marketed to farmers, such as PES and AgroCare, to name just a couple. A recurring discussion point is the importance of robust local datasets. Several technologies originate overseas and may perform well in their country of development, but successful adoption within UK agriculture depends on calibration against UK soil types and conditions – that’s going to take time.

The technology itself is only part of the solution. The underlying database and reference information often determine whether management recommendations are accurate and relevant. As with any diagnostic tool, understanding the limitations is just as important as understanding the capabilities to make informed decisions.

Innovation Must Solve Real Problems

One of the strongest themes of discussion from Cereals was that innovation alone is not enough. Across robotics, AI, soil diagnostics and precision application technologies, the same questions continue to apply:

1. Does it solve a genuine farming challenge?
2. Does it fit within existing workflows where relevant?
3. Can it generate value that exceeds its cost?

These are precisely the questions that the Ceres Innovation Group was established to explore. As new technologies emerge, our focus remains on helping bridge the gap between innovation and practical on-farm adoption through evaluation, demonstration and knowledge exchange.

Over the coming months, we’ll continue sharing insights from across the industry, highlighting not just the newest innovations, but the technologies most likely to deliver meaningful value in commercial farming systems.

If you are a farmer or an innovative ag-tech company interested in getting involved, please contact us here.