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The UK offers an ideal platform for harnessing the untapped potential of soil and plant microorganisms.
Although much of my professional experience has focused on the human microbiome, I have always had an interest in the soil and plant microbiome. What amazes me is the diversity of microorganisms present in the soil, which is surprisingly much higher than that of the human gut. Many of these microorganisms remain uncharacterised, and their potential for biotechnology and, more specifically, agricultural innovation is vast. Soil microorganisms and products derived therefrom can be exploited for numerous applications, including improving crop resilience, developing microbial-based fertilisers, assessing soil health, and predicting crop yields.
Numerous research initiatives, funded by public institutions such as Defra, BBSRC or UKRI, have been launched in the UK in the past few years. One of these, the five-year UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank project initiated in 2020 and involving Rothamsted Research, CABI, the James Hutton Institute and the John Innes Centre, aimed to create a comprehensive soil microbiome resource for both academic research and commercial development. The project focused on the physical preservation of diverse microorganisms isolated from crops and also led to the establishment of the public database AgMicrobiomeBase, which collates associated genomic and metagenomic data.
Another example is the TRUTH Project (Thriving Roots Underpinning Total Soil Health) is developing tools to measure and manage soil and root health. The project involves farmer-led soil microbiome data collection and aims to develop in-field soil health sensors using microbial diversity data.
A recent collaboration between the Earlham Institute and Quadram Institute, OpenLAND, is investigating the role of soil microbial communities in carbon storage as part of the UK's commitment to reach its net-zero climate targets.
Of note, part of the new Microbiome Innovation Network (Microbiome-Net) funded by the BBSRC will support projects focusing on agricultural sustainability.
These initiatives demonstrate a coordinated national effort to position the UK as a hub for soil microbiome research.
The private sector is also showing a strong interest in soil microbiome innovation. For example, UK-based startup Elaniti has recently secured private investments to accelerate the development of its predictive platform linking soil microbiome data to crop performance.
With growing public and private investment, the UK offers an exceptional environment for soil microbiome innovation and for translating these discoveries into commercially valuable products and solutions. However, to fully capitalize on this opportunity, soil microbiome innovators must also understand how to protect their inventions and develop a robust IP strategy.
Later this year, we will publish a follow-up article exploring how IP relating to soil microbiome inventions can be protected and providing insight into IP strategy considerations for biotech companies in this field. Keep an eye on this page for updates.
For now, it is clear that the plant and soil microbiome represent an invaluable source for agricultural innovation and that the UK provides both the scientific expertise and a supportive ecosystem to transform this potential into impactful results.
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