LumiDrop whole-plant high-throughput screening platform for plant defense inducer discovery
LumiDrop is a whole-plant high-throughput screening platform for discovering plant defense inducers. It uses a sensitive, non-GM crop-based reporter system to deliver rapid, non-invasive, quantitative detection of plant immune activation within 48 hours, requiring less than 0.1 mg of test material per sample. Designed to screen thousands of samples, LumiDrop works with pure compounds, natural products, complex mixtures, and formulations, providing an early functional readout in intact plants to prioritize candidates that activate natural defense responses.
Overview
LumiDrop is a whole-plant high-throughput screening platform developed by AgPrime GmbH for the discovery of plant defense inducers — compounds that activate a crop's natural immune system to protect against pests and diseases. The platform delivers rapid, non-invasive, and quantitative detection of plant immune activation directly in intact plants, providing an early functional bridge between primary screening and resource-intensive validation in greenhouse or field settings.
LumiDrop is designed for scalability, screening thousands of samples with a readout time of under 48 hours and a sample requirement of less than 0.1 mg per test. It accommodates pure compounds, natural products, complex mixtures, and formulations, making it a versatile early-stage discovery tool for crop protection and sustainable agriculture. The platform also detects established commercial host plant defense inducers classified under FRAC Group P, providing relevant benchmarks for identifying and evaluating novel candidates.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Non-GM crop-based reporter system enables sensitive, quantitative detection of immune activation in intact plants
- Rapid readout within 48 hours supports fast, iterative screening campaigns
- Low sample requirement (<0.1 mg per sample) conserves scarce or costly test materials
- Scalable throughput for libraries of thousands of samples
- Compatible with pure compounds, natural products, complex mixtures, and formulations
- Benchmarked against established commercial plant defense inducers (FRAC Group P)
How it works:
LumiDrop measures defense activation directly in an intact, non-GM crop reporter system, offering a functional readout of plant immune responses without destructive sampling. This early, plant-relevant signal allows researchers to identify and prioritize compounds that trigger natural defense pathways long before resource-intensive validation.
Technology readiness level
LumiDrop has reached proof of concept, with demonstrated ability to detect established commercial host plant defense inducers. A staged validation pathway is proposed, beginning with a pilot study to benchmark platform performance against relevant reference products, followed by adaptation for specific discovery workflows, and culminating in longer-term co-development or licensing collaborations.
About AgPrime GmbH
AgPrime GmbH is an agricultural biotechnology company based in Germany that specializes in plant molecular biology, biochemistry, and pathology. The company develops innovative, sustainable crop protection concepts by identifying and utilizing methods to strengthen the natural immune systems of plants from within. They provide advanced AgBiotech services, including state-of-the-art, scalable bioassays that allow industrial partners to evaluate plant performance under various stress conditions and identify novel active ingredients, plant activators, and formulations that promote resilience to biotic and abiotic threats.
These capabilities support the development of effective, environmentally friendly solutions for regenerative agriculture and the bioeconomy. Beyond offering contract research and consulting services to industry partners, AgPrime pursues its own R&D projects, such as CircuPlantection, which focuses on developing plant-strengthening extracts from nettles to protect economically important crops. The company’s technical expertise and R&D activities are officially recognized, and they hold intellectual property related to innovative crop protection procedures, demonstrating their role in advancing modern, sustainable agricultural practices.
delivered to your inbox.