BioLumic to Unlock Sustainable Global Rice Production with Light Treatments for Seed

BioLumic announced today grant funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to use the company’s proprietary ultraviolet (UV) light seed treatment technology to enhance the crop performance of rice - specifically Direct Dry Seeded Rice (DDSR), rice grown using sustainable practices.

Rice stands as a vital staple crop for more than half of the world's population, primarily grown by smallholder farms. In India, water-intensive flooded rice cultivation presents an increasing environmental and economic burden, however, the risk of poor crop establishment has jeopardized farmer adoption of direct-seeded, soil-sown rice seed via DDSR practices.

To solve these challenges, BioLumic’s UV light activation approach will be deployed to rapidly unlock essential plant traits for DDSR, including uniform and early rice seedling growth, weed competitiveness and drought tolerance. The project will begin this year and continue through mid 2026.

The full press release can be accessed here: https://url-shortener.newsdirect.com/J9MFf7c8