# 124. Authenticating Seeds To 5X Crop Yields

- Show: [The Next Byte Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast)
- Published: 2023-05-30
- Length: 18m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields
- Listen: https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields-mpeoiO1r

## Summary

Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss research from MIT professors Anantha Chandrakasan, Benedetto Marelli, and graduate student Sarav Majhi on using unclonable silk-based labels to authenticate seeds and combat counterfeiting. The episode details how these tiny, biodegradable tags use random silk nanoparticle patterns to generate 2^128 unique identifiers, allowing farmers to verify seed authenticity via smartphone cameras. The hosts analyze the severe impact of counterfeit seeds on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa, where yields can drop by up to 80%, and compare this physical unclonable function (PUF) approach to traditional RFID and luxury goods authentication methods.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields#t=0) Introduction: Counterfeit Seeds and MIT Research
- [1:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields#t=83) The Impact of Counterfeit Seeds on Food Security
- [5:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields#t=321) Inspiration from Hardware Security and PUFs
- [7:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields#t=450) The Silk-Based Unclonable Tag Technology
- [10:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields#t=603) Authentication Methods and Scalability Challenges
- [13:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields#t=788) Comparison to RFID and Future Applications
- [15:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-05-30-124-authenticating-seeds-to-5x-crop-yields#t=952) Durability, Reading at Scale, and Recap

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- MIT (company)
- Anantha Chandrakasan (other)
- Benedetto Marelli (other)
- Sarav Majhi (other)
- RFID (tool)
- Wevolver (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [A Daring Space Rescue | PUF Protection | Reverse Costing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-03-08-a-daring-space-rescue-puf-protection-reverse-costing) (EE Times Current)
- [Turning Plants into Living Sensors: Making Farming More Sustainable with Shely Aronov, Founder and CEO of InnerPlant](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-08-17-turning-plants-into-living-sensors-making-farming-more-sustainable-with-shely-ar) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Ep048: Truly Trustworthy Hardware, Glowing Uranium Marbles, Bitstreaming the USB, Chaos of Congress](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-01-01-ep048-truly-trustworthy-hardware-glowing-uranium-marbles-bitstreaming-the-usb-ch) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Addressing Climate Change in Agriculture with Plasma Technology with Daniel White, Co-Founder and CEO at Clean Crop Technologies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-01-addressing-climate-change-in-agriculture-with-plasma-technology-with-daniel-whit) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Inside Component Testing: Fighting Fakes in the Electronics Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-07-inside-component-testing-fighting-fakes-in-the-electronics-industry) (OnTrack)

## Citing this page

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