Functional metabolites from novel bacterial strains for improved crop care and protection

Overview

Microbe Plus has developed a biological crop care solution based on a unique collection of beneficial bacteria, including three previously undescribed strains with outstanding biological activity exceeding the best existing solutions on the market. These bacteria produce specific functional metabolites, including low-weight high-affinity molecules, plant hormones, and active ingredients, that improve plant performance and provide broad-spectrum protection against pathogenic fungi and bacteria. The multi-strain composition effectively combats more than 15 pathogens and has been validated through comprehensive greenhouse and open-field trials on crops including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sugar beet, potatoes, berries, and fruits, consistently confirming improved yields.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• A proprietary collection of 10 beneficial bacterial strains, including 3 novel isolates characterized through genome analysis using Mauve, OrthoAni, and BLAST tools
• Single-strain and co-cultured products with in-depth metabolome profiling to identify key bioactive compounds
• Strong antagonistic properties validated against more than 30 pathogens
• Production scale-up capability up to 200 liters using Sartorius Stedim Biostat D-DCU bioreactor systems
• Demonstrated production of auxins, siderophores, ACC-degradation activity, and atmospheric nitrogen fixation confirmed via LC-MS/MS
• Formulation stability validated through storage testing at 20°C for 9 months and accelerated thermal aging at 35°C for 1.5 years, maintaining 10 to the power of 7 CFU
• Safety assessments performed according to OECD guidelines No. 201, 202, and 211
• Field trials conducted in agreement with official authorities following EPPO standards

Technology readiness level

The technology has progressed beyond laboratory validation into real-world agricultural application. Greenhouse and open-field trials across multiple crops in two consecutive seasons have confirmed consistent yield improvements. Current development focuses on deeper biological and biochemical profiling of metabolites using metabolomics techniques including LC-MS, GC-MS, and 1H NMR to precisely validate the formulation stability and biological functionality at the molecular level. Future validation will include physicochemical analysis covering stability, accelerated storage per CIPAC methods, and microbiological assessments, with an estimated completion timeline of one year. The products are positioned for commercial deployment with ongoing collaboration opportunities to develop tailor-made sustainable biological solutions for farmers.