S02:E04
A tag you never have to look at. That’s the promise behind the RFID work Dr. Jim Robbins and Dr. Joe Maja have been chasing for the better part of two decades — a way to walk past a block of containers, or fly over it, and know exactly what’s there without picking up a single pot. In Part 2 of this special two-parter, Ping picks the conversation back up where it left off, this time digging into the applied research: how passive UHF tags work, what a drone-mounted reader can do that a barcode scanner can’t, and why the real payoff isn’t counting plants — it’s tracing them from propagation all the way to the checkout line.
Joe walks through the practical side a grower actually cares about: traditional tags versus RFID, where to start (small, with a single block or a high-value crop), how to pick a vendor who understands that moisture and container materials change everything, and the honest math on cost. Jim fills in the origin story and the “lower step” version of the system for nurseries that aren’t ready to tag every plant. Along the way the two of them land on the lessons that only show up after twenty years in the field — that simple beats sophisticated, that reliability matters more than precision, and that the projects that actually work are the ones where engineers, horticulturists, and growers are all in the room.
Then they look down the road: integrated systems where drones, RFID, robots, and AI finally talk to each other, a realistic adoption forecast, and a warm closing on why collaboration — the kind that built this whole project — is the thing worth betting on. Recorded with Joe joining live from Japan.
Listen Time: 29:18 Follow Along with the Transcript
“The advantage is that it doesn’t require line of, line of sight. And if we could attach the plant… And then just fly over the top and simply count these things, we thought this was brilliant.” — Jim Robbins (02:11)
“Instead of scanning one plant at a time, you can scan hundreds or even thousands of plants in a matter of seconds.” — Joe Maja (09:15)
“It’s not just about inventory, it’s about connecting the entire life cycle.” — Joe Maja (12:12)
“We’ve also seen that reliability is often more important than precision. A system that works consistently, even if it’s not perfect, is more valuable than one that’s highly precise but unreliable.” — Joe Maja (13:48)
“The interest has clearly shifted from ‘What is this?’ to ‘How do I use this?’ And that’s usually a strong sign that the technology is moving toward mainstream adoption.” — Joe Maja (16:16)
“You guys set a great example of how collaboration works and how collaboration matters.” — Ping Yu (27:39)
Blooms and Beyond explores plant history, culture, and management through the lens of science. Whether you’re a commercial grower seeking practical solutions, a student exploring careers in horticulture, or simply someone who loves plants and their stories, there’s something here for you. Hosted by Dr. Ping Yu of the University of Georgia, each episode features interviews with experts who share enchanting stories, cutting-edge research, and practical wisdom from the world of horticulture.
Your benefit: After each episode, commercial growers will have at least one useful tip for their operation, and plant enthusiasts will have an interesting fact to share. That’s how we spread plant power to more people and make our environment a little better.
Host: Dr. Ping Yu Producer: Rich Braman Guests: Dr. James Robbins (University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, retired); Dr. Joe Maja (Center for Applied AI for Sustainable Agriculture, South Carolina State University)
Episode Release Date: June 28, 2026 Episode Length: 29:18
“Till next time, stay healthy and go plants!” 🌱