b'Insignum AgTech In-Seed UV Light Treatment by BioLumicBioLumics Light Treatmentsa unique category of chemical-free seed treatment exclusively commercialized by BioLumicutilize light as a sort of programming language to regulate crops Insignum AgTech develops plant genetic traits that enablegenetic expression and activate new traits. Photomorphogenic plants to speak. The technology allows plants to signal viatreatments program plants genetic expression through naturally occurring pigments when they are undergoingbrief seed exposure, unlocking their natural genetic potential. stress. The company has developed a new trait that worksBioLumic has validated over 200 activated traits across 12 crops across corn cultivars that develops purple spots on its leavesfor improved yield, accelerated germination, enhanced root when fungal attack is underway. The spots are visible (leftdevelopment, improved plant immunity, resilience to extreme photo) approximately one week before disease lesions typi- conditions, and more. BioLumics platform can deploy 2.5 billion cally appear (right photo). unique, customized UV light signal recipes.Today, farmers make a lot of decisions blind. But agri- In 2023, BioLumic initiated collaborations with the Bill & culture has to be preventative: we cant wait until a problemMelinda Gates Foundation for sustainable rice and Dry Direct shows up to do something about it, says Insignums CEOSeeded Rice (DSR), as well as Gro Alliance for corn and and founder, Kyle Mohler. With this technology, we can besoybeans. Additionally, they launched a program for Light absolutely certain that we have an issue, then treat before theTreated Forage grass, with treatments that improve grass damage is done to sustainably optimize production.composition (e.g., crude fat) to reduce methane emissions andWhile the technology is not yet market-ready, its well onenhance metabolic efficiency.the way. This year, Insignum worked with Becks Hybrids test- The core of BioLumics innovation lies in its ability to ing commercial genetics. A successful first trial has led to addi- harness, for the very first time, precise plant signaling treatments tional testing in 2024. In November 2023, the U.S. Departmentusing the potent UVB light spectrum, a biological catalyst of of Agricultures (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspectionunparalleled strength, says Steve Sibulkin, BioLumics CEO, Service (APHIS) ruled in favor of the technology, judging it aswho added the large gains were seeing in yield and quality unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to otherare not only transformative, they do not have the regulatory cultivated plants, and therefore safe to grow and breed in theconcerns and longer timeframes of other key crop performance United States without additional regulation. innovations. Mohler says the company is currently working on devel- The in-seed light treatment process is rapid, cost-effective, oping markers for additional stresses utilizing other naturaland seamlessly integrates with existing seed treatment pigments, likely red or blue, to give an early indication of yield- applications. It requires no change to farmers established limiting factors such as insect pests or fertility loss. practices and can be efficiently completed in seed production facilities before shipment.32/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2024'