Soil tech breakthrough aims to boost farming

A “groundbreaking” £670,000 research project is set to tackle soil degradation and improve farming sustainability through cutting-edge microbial technology.

The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) and the University of York have teamed up with agricultural technology startup CroBio to enhance a pioneering living soil amendment. 

Funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and supported by Innovate UK, the initiative aims to improve nutrient preservation, water retention and carbon sequestration in agricultural soil.

CroBio’s technology, which introduces water-retaining microbes to plant roots, has shown promising results in initial trials, including a 100 per cent improvement in water retention in sandy soil under greenhouse conditions.

With growing concerns over soil degradation, water scarcity and the environmental impact of chemical fertilisers, the project could offer a game-changing solution for UK farmers looking to improve productivity while reducing their environmental footprint.

Dr Daniel J Upton, senior scientist at CroBio, said: “This collaboration addresses key challenges facing agriculture.

“Our technology has the potential to provide farmers with a cost-effective solution for water and nutrient management in agricultural soils and decrease dependency on fertilisers. 

“This project will support the development of solutions that have benefits for both agriculture and the environment with applicability across widespread territories.”

Deborah Rathbone, bioscience innovation team leader at the Biorenewables Development Centre, added: “The BDC is excited to partner with CroBio in scaling up this innovative technology. 

“As well as providing project management, we’ll be developing the technology for glasshouse and field trials to validate its effectiveness in real-world conditions. 

“By combining our expertise in bio-based applications with CroBio’s pioneering approach to soil health, we’re working to address some of the most pressing challenges in modern agriculture.”

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