Those that are able to perform well are those that have attracted and are colonized by beneficial microbes. Several rounds of observation and selection are conducted, each time moving the entire plant microbiome to the next phase of the trial. At the conclusion of the final round of the trial, microbes are isolated from the high- est performing plants and analyzed to determine the smallest number of microbes effective in combating the stressor. That information is then used in the develop- ment of their multi-microbe seed treatment products that impart the same phenotypical tolerance trait to crops in the field. BioConsortia researchers have found that improved plant performance usually is not a single microbe help- ing the plant tolerate a particular stressor but several microbes performing different and complementary functions with the plant. Some microbial teams may stimulate the plant to grow bigger roots during periods of drought stress, while others may turn on the plants believe will revolutionize seed treatment, drench and granule application. AMS allows BioConsortia researchers to discover multiple beneficial microbes associated with one plant during one growing season. The premise of this tech- nology, says CEO Marcus Meadows-Smith, lies in the microbe selection process, itself. “We operate more like plant breeders than microbi- ologists,” Meadows-Smith says. By starting thousands of seeds in growth chambers and changing only the plant microbiome, researchers are able to screen through hundreds of thousands of microbes, and combinations of microbes, in a rapid manner. “Rather than looking for individual microbes, one by one, we look for the high performing plants that have been subjected to various stressors,” Meadows-Smith offers. own genes that are associated with water stress toler- ance. The microbes are hosted on different locations of the plant. Many are associated with rhizosphere or the root system, while others are endophytes living inside the plant tissue. This concept of selecting multiple microbes, rather than one by one, has lessened the challenge of identifying collaborative microbes when introduced together. “Many times when singly selected microbes are introduced together, it is found that they are antago- nistic of one another and will not work together,” Meadows-Smith says. “Our teams of microbes are dis- covered on a single high performing plant, so we know that they are compatible.” Technology Breakthroughs Across the industry, technological breakthroughs and scientific procedure advancements outside of the agri- culture industry are credited with creating economi- cally feasible solutions for farmers to implement new solutions within their risk management programs. ABM’s policy of putting the farmer’s return on investment first is a good example of the type of eco- nomic feasibility associated with these new technolo- gies. Hayes states that if farmers aren’t going to see a return from a product, ABM isn’t going to bring it to market. “Farmer returns have to be 2:1 or 3:1, at a minimum, meaning if a farmer initially spends $2 per acre, they have to see a $5 or $6 return on that investment before it is a product that the company will move forward with.” The decreasing cost of some science has also allowed for advancements that were previously con- sidered too costly to pursue. Meadows-Smith cites this as one of the most marked advancements within the industry. “When the first plant genome (Arabadopsis) was sequenced in 2000, it had taken around 500 people seven years to complete and the economic cost was around $70 million,” he says. “Today, I can get that same genome sequenced for $99.” While soil and root health approach the forefront of the agriculture technology industry, one thing is certain: as long as the population continues to grow and deplete production acres, agriculture technology will continue to evolve. From the mechanical revolution to seed hybridization, the Green Revolution to genetic modification, precision agriculture to soil health, the agriculture industry will continue to advance and create new paths for large scale food production. SW 26 / SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 Corn is one of the many crops that both farmers and scientists are conducting research on. Through the National Corn Growers Association’s Soil Health Partnership, farmers are examining how integrating cover crops can help improve soil health, and thus yields.