MONHEIM – Bayer has acquired proPlant, a German-based plant health diagnosis and infection level warning service provider, for an undisclosed amount. The purchase will help strengthen Bayer’s presence in the digital farming space, further providing farmers with practical decision-making aids.

“The acquisition of proPlant will extend our technology platform, on the basis of which we are developing new digital solutions for sustainable, resource-efficient agricultural production,” said Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and Head of the Crop Science Division.

proPlant will operate as Bayer Digital Farming GmbH “in the future,” a press release states. No additional details were given.

A new company under the name proPlant Agrar- und Umweltinformatik GmbH will be established to continue existing activities that are not relevant for Bayer. Thomas Volk has been appointed as Managing Director of this company.

Under the management of Andree-Georg Girg, Bayer Digital Farming GmbH develops and markets IT solutions for the European agricultural sector, including plant protection applications for almost all major arable crops. 

“Digitalization can give farmers timely, field-specific information, from selecting the right crop varieties and finding the right fertilizer dose as accurately as possible through to determining the ideal time for crop protection measures and recognizing plant stress factors at an early stage,” Condon explained.

Bayer concluded that it plans to strengthen its activities in the future market of digital farming through further strategic investments, and is committed to long-term research and development collaborations with leading technology providers.

Bayer