What We Do
Accountable solutions drive our business. Longitudinal success overtime in enhancing human capacity, founding new businesses, and partnering with organizations to protect and restore the environment speak loud of our commitments. Our actions have resulted in enhancing crop productivity, reducing soil and water contamination, and promoting socially responsive entrepreneurship. GreenRoots is a dynamic data-based decision-making consulting group. It uses past achievements and emerging knowledge to build a robust future. Our uniqueness is defined by tailor-made solutions for emerging opportunities, whether it’s connecting farmers globally through RootKonnect, providing solutions through Apps like pH-Wise, or disruptive hybrid C-based crop nutrition technologies. We enhance science and translate it to benefit farmers, businesses, and environment.

Real-time data collection on soil compaction and water content to design fertilization plan, Costa Rica

Soil compaction map in fairways in golf courses in Costa Rica. Specific areas (yellow/red) need to be managed to improve infiltration and turf growth

Georeferenced soil sampling with bulk density cores. Simple yet essential in our precision agriculture programs

Field day to introduce the importance of data collection to improve sugarcane production and sugar content, Belize

Science for everyone! Understanding soil properties to make informed decisions, Costa Rica
Specialized Services
Soil and Plant Nutrition
Our goal is to nourish each plant, sounds like utopia, however our core competencies in machine learning algorithms, quasi real-time data collection, processing, and soil-plant specific recommendations make us see our goal within reach. Our works in mapping soil fertility, soil genesis, nutrient uptake, and fertilizer compatibility have earned long-term trust from our clients. Whether its quality coffee production in Nicaragua, sugarcane in Costa Rica, or designing business plans for avocado plantations in Haiti, data drives decision making at all stages.

Field advisors of major coffee export company in Nicaragua practicing field measurements and mapping

Evaluation of quinoa yield and quality in Peru

Evaluating the effect of organic amendments on soil microbial properties, Belize

Evaluation vanilla growth in French Polynesia

Mapping manganese in plant tissues in Guatemala

Chlorophyll content determination in coffee plantation in Nicaragua
Precision Agriculture
We use innovative technologies like global positioning systems (GPS) combined with real-time field diagnosis sensors (pH, soil moisture, compaction, apparent electrical conductivity, organic matter, salinity, chlorophyll sensors, etc..) for soil and crop mapping. We monitor crop development over short time intervals using the recent Sentinel multispectral satellite imagery (5-day revisit time and 10x 10 m resolution). This creates the scientific and quantitative basis allowing “site-specific” optimized decision making which in turns leads to a cheaper and more environmentally friendly agriculture.
Since 2017 we have developed Machine Learning Algorithms (Partial Least Square Regression, Random Forest, Memory Based Learning, Support Vector Machines) using visible and infrared spectroscopy to characterize soil in less than 15 min. Spectral signatures encode information about inherent soil characteristics such as mineral composition, nutrient content, organic compounds, and water. These spectroscopic techniques combined with machine learning provide a new precision agriculture tool to diagnose soil conditions accurately (R² between 0.72 – 0, 94) and in near real time.
Altogether our Precision Agriculture techniques allows us to determine and identify “hot spots” in production systems, such as areas with nutritional deficiencies, problems of water deficit, low plant density, problems waterlogging, and critical areas of erosion.

Foundation of Precision Agriculture: connecting GPS to proxy sensors for real-time field measurements

Precision Agriculture to improve water efficiency in Guatemala: determining areas of poor infiltration

Installing capacitance probes for real time water measurements to improve water use efficiency in a sugarcane plantation in Costa Rica

We generate these kinds of maps using real-time proxy sensors to take informed decisions using actual field data from your land on the same day

Preparing a fixed wing UAV (Sensfly Ebee at CAP Guanacaste, Costa Rica) allowing us to generate RGB, NIR, Multispectral and thermal maps with a land coverage of 40ha per flight

Generating hyperspectral signatures of leaves with a high resolution spectroradiometer with the Precision Agriculture Center in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Measuring reflectance of with a high resolution field spectroradiometer connected to a GPS for real time nutrient mapping

Veris multi sensor platform for real time pH, NIR (correlated to organic matter) and apparent electrical conductivity soil mapping
Product Development and Business Mentorship
Science is the foundation for sustainable development. But the scientific findings need to be translated into products to address specific problem. Scaling up the production, marketing strategies, assembling workforce and product delivery to end users are key to make a business venture succeed. Over years we have helped our clients develop new businesses and reengineered the existing ones.

Pilot production trials for organomineral fertilizers pellets in Costa Rica

Discussion on the production, quality, and marketing of humic acid based fertilizers, China

Chicken manure as a source of organomineral fertilizer pellets, Peru

Production of liming materials to regulate soil pH and improve crop production, Costa Rica

Pelletization of biochar as a source of slow release nutrients for the humid tropics

Industrial pellet dryer for biomass and organomineral production, Costa Rica

Development of granulated slow release organomineral based on agricultural wastes in Costa Rica

Residual water treatment plant and the application of biosolids for crop production, Costa Rica

Guidance for the Implementation of 1T/h organomineral pellet/granule production plant using chicken manure in Peru

Residual water treatment plant, Costa Rica

Understanding the importance of grey water treatment and proper use of residues, Costa Rica

Extraction of minerals from municipal sludge, Costa Rica

Formulation of bio fertilizers using organic wastes, Costa Rica
Environmental Advocacy
Creating a sustainable food future and nurturing our environment is rooted into our core values. Our work with government agencies, private sector, and individuals speak very loud of this commitment. Environmental certifications such as Audubon cooperative sanctuary program, and GEO-Certified sustainability distinction are just a few. Our expert reports based on extensive field research and appearance in international court as expert witnesses have successfully assisted our clients to defend the environment in arbitrations and judicial settlements.

Complete study of hydromorphic soil conditions in buried wetlands. Defending Costa Rica in a multi million dollar legal case. Knowledge of soil science is not limited to agriculture !

Presenting expert evidence in Arbitration Court in Washington, D.C.

Water sampling to evaluate quality (BOD, QOD, pH, biological and mineral load) and document contamination in creeks in Costa Rica

International Course on measuring water quality using biological indicators organized by Engineers Without Borders USA, Costa Rica
Golf Course Management & Landscaping
Golf course management demands high input application to keep the grass manicured and spotless. Similarly landscaping and garden management require ample water and chemicals input. Green Roots has been instrumental in designing and implementing data driven sustainable practices to minimize negative environmental impacts. Our multifaceted interventions encompass precision data collection, site specific recommendation, assistance in environmental certifications, training and mentorship. We design and deliver workshops, short courses, and need based training to enhance human capacity to embrace change.

Green aeration in golf courses based on field diagnostics, Costa Rica

Enhancing grass seed germination by improving water holding through mulch, Panama

Measuring soil hydraulic conductivity to design irrigation scheduling on Golf-Green, Costa Rica

Mentoring practitioners of Real time georeferenced sensors for soil data collection, Costa Rica

Soil as a carbon sink. Evaluation of how golf courses play a role in recycling and accumulating carbon in root zone

Evidence of the importance of soil mapping to determine nutrient deficiency hotspots. This forms the based to review fertilization plans and improve efficiency with site-specific nutrient management

Soil Hydraulic Conductivity data collection required for irrigation system design, Costa Rica

Sand for Greens, Tee, and Topdressing, Golf Course Costa Rica

Fully automated and operational irrigation System on golf course, Costa Rica