Part : BioLumic uses light technology to produce hybrid seeds

Part : BioLumic uses light technology to produce hybrid seeds

Today is part two of our series on BioLumic, a bio-agritech company that treats seeds with ultraviolet light therapy to increase plant growth and yields. In 2022, they began large-scale trials of hybrid corn and achieved impressive double-digit yield increases. By 2023, they shifted their focus to inbred corn and parent lines, which are challenging due to yield losses. However, this marked a turning point for BioLumic CEO Steve Sibulkin.

“In our very first year here, we averaged 7.3% yield gain, which is great in this particular type of production, and we’ve seen double-digit gains in some cases, and that’s our goal. And that was so compelling that we shifted our focus a little bit to inbred corn with Grow Alliance and some seed companies. So we’ve now partnered with them and announced some more collaborations with BEX and Peterson Corn Genetics, Peterson Farms and a few others.”

This year, Sibulkin says BioLumic is studying whether their light signaling treatment can be passed down through generations of seed. They are treating seed from pure breeds, turning them into hybrids, and testing whether these hybrids can maintain the same vigor gains and quality they’ve already seen. He says they’re excited about the potential results of this new technology.