Sarah Placella and Root Applied Sciences Are Giving Farmers the Power to See the Invisible
Written by Jason Phillips
In the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma, the morning air carries more than mist and sunlight. For Sarah Placella, that air holds the future of farming. As founder and CEO of Root Applied Sciences, Placella has built a company that helps farmers make decisions based on what they can’t see. Her technology identifies pathogens while they are still drifting above the vines, turning invisible risks into clear and useful information.
Root’s DNA-based system detects airborne pathogens before they reach crops, allowing farmers to spray only when it is truly needed. The company’s field units collect and analyze air samples using DNA markers that identify specific disease threats and translate that information into early-warning alerts. The change might sound simple, but it has redefined how farmers manage their crops. In pilot programs in California and the Midwest, Root’s monitoring service gave farmers more than a week of advance warning before disease symptoms appeared.
The results were striking. Vineyard manager Caleb Mosley reduced his fungicide sprays from as many as twelve applications to only three. That precision saves money, protects the land, and strengthens entire growing regions.
“What’s important to me is getting the word out that there’s a better way to manage pests and disease in agriculture,” Placella says. “Whether it’s available to an individual grower now or later, it’s coming.”
Root began with a twice-weekly collect-and-send service and is now completing a fully automated, in-field device that performs DNA analysis on site. The transition will give growers near real-time visibility into pathogen pressure, helping them act even faster. After several successful seasons in wine grapes, Root began testing the same approach in other crops.
“We have our first pilot in corn and soy in Nebraska with Matt Rasmussen, a very forward, thoughtful farmer who strives to use best practices for the best farming outcomes,” Placella says. “Root Applied Sciences's monitoring system was able to warn the grower of tar spot two weeks before anyone had symptoms, at a time when no one thought it would be an issue.”
That early detection came from a collaboration with Professor Teddy Garcia-Aroca and his laboratory at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The project also tracked southern rust and white mold in soy. “This is our first year in corn and soy, and while we are thrilled to be able to deliver value, we're looking to expand slowly next year with a handful of other thoughtful farmers while we learn more about how to interpret the data ahead of a larger rollout,” Placella says.
That success reflects Placella’s mindset, which combines scientific curiosity with practical application. Trained as an environmental scientist, Placella spent years studying how ecosystems respond to change before turning her focus to applied innovation in agriculture. She left academia for biotech and agtech startups, where she learned how to move ideas from research to real-world impact. That experience became the foundation for Root Applied Sciences, a company that merges scientific accuracy with agricultural practicality.
As Root grows, Placella has built a team of experienced agricultural leaders to guide its expansion into new markets. The company’s steady progress reflects her philosophy that innovation must serve both farmers and the environment.
Her leadership has not gone unnoticed. USA Today recently featured Placella as a woman founder challenging convention in sustainability and technology. She views that recognition as an opportunity to inspire others. “We all need role models,” she says. “I think about my own journey, and while it's in retrospect that I see how important role models have been to me, role models give others inspiration to dream big, the courage to do hard things, and a north star in moments of despair.”
Placella believes sustainability only works when it helps the people who live it every day. “When I think about sustainable farming, I think not only about best practices and land stewardship, but also about farmers,” she says. “If a farmer using a practice can't stay in business or compete with other farmers, it's not a sustainable practice.”
Each avoided spray means fewer chemicals in the soil and groundwater, lower costs for growers, and slower development of fungicide resistance. Precision replaces overuse, turning sustainability into a quantifiable outcome rather than an aspiration.
That belief drives Root’s work. The company gives farmers a way to see invisible threats, manage them early, and protect their livelihoods. With each new crop and region, the mission stays the same. Give growers the information they need to make better decisions and to build a future where sustainability is both practical and profitable.
