Agriculture may have begun about 12,000 years ago and famously helped bring about technological revolutions that changed the world, but it’s gone through significant changes in the past several decades. Companies are finally beginning to deal with a long-term problem: growing plants is risky. Now, these companies are revolutionizing technology and the plants that pre-date us to make farming more predictable.

Nanoliquid technology might sound like an invention from a Marvel movie, but the product from Utah company Nano-Yield is real and helps ensure plants stay stronger. The particles used in the liquid tech deliver fertilizer to crops and make absorption easier, creating more effective growing conditions.

The technology arose naturally from seeds planted in Utah. The Bell family bought 40 acres of sagebrush in 1979 to farm and build revenue for future business endeavors and church missions. Two generations later, Clark Bell introduced an effort to embrace nanotechnology, eventually developing the company’s key product.

Nano-Yield’s product increases crop output for farmers and improves soil quality while stopping pesticide and nutrient runoff from farms. Runoff harms drinking water supplies, aquatic life and fish-eating wildlife. It can create toxic algae blooms; Utah Lake, for example, has battled this problem lately.

Nano-Yield’s liquid tech will likely become more relevant in years to come. In 2022, the global fertilizer market buckled under pressure from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war led to price-gouging for fertilizers, leaving an already tricky industry with even more ambiguity. Alternatives like Nano-Yield’s may help address these supply chain issues in years to come.