BioLumic is partnering with several seed companies to improve inbred corn and hybrid corn productivity.
Following successful performance milestones in 2023 field trials, BioLumic is collaborating with Beck’s Hybrids, Peterson Corn Genetics, Peterson Farms Seed, Breeder Direct, and other seed companies. The goal is to apply BioLumic’s Genetic Expression Trait™ light-activated technology to various inbred and hybrid corn lines to improve their productivity. The trials focus on addressing challenges like germination, emergence, seedling vigor, yield, and hybrid seed quality associated with inbred seed corn breeding and production.
BioLumic uses ultraviolet (UV) light to activate natural genetic expression in plants, aiming to improve yield, quality, and plant defense traits without genetic modification or chemical additives. The technology is being prepared for commercialization in inbred and hybrid corn cultivars, with plans to make light-treated seeds available to farmers for the 2025 planting season.
“By activating Genetic Expression Traits in corn parent lines and showing the ability to lock in those traits to hybrid corn progeny without any ensuing treatments, our UV light technology is rewriting the playbook for seed production,” said Steve Sibulkin, BioLumic CEO. “It eliminates years of trait identification and breeding work for driving yield, quality and plant health without the multi-year regulatory process associated with genetic modification.”
In the U.S., field corn production primarily uses hybrid cultivars created by crossing genetically pure inbred seed lines to achieve specific traits. However, challenges such as inbreeding depression can lead to reduced germination, poor seedling emergence and vigor, and increased susceptibility to environmental stressors, affecting yield and hybrid seed quality.
BioLumic’s light treatments for inbred seeds are designed to address these issues. In 2023 trials, treated inbred corn lines demonstrated a yield gain of over 7.3% without changes to the grower’s standard practice. The company aims for double-digit yield gains, driven by improved germination and increased seedling vigor, including a 16% advantage in root biomass on average.
BioLumic’s Genetic Expression Traits can be combined into packages targeting multiple traits, such as stand establishment, yield, and composition.
“Through our partnership with BioLumic, we are integrating this unique technology into our hybrid and inbred corn lines, evaluating BioLumic’s trait performance on some of our most promising germplasm this season,” said Marc Neuman, Director of Sales and Product Development at Breeder Direct. “Our mission is to deliver elite genetics that give our seed company clients improved margin opportunity. BioLumic’s ability to improve the yield potential of germplasm that is already outstanding creates a big opportunity for us and independent seed companies.”
BioLumic plans to commercialize Genetic Expression Traits for inbred and hybrid corn in partnership with Gro Alliance in Q1 2025. The company is also working with genetics providers to develop new traits and is advancing the trait development of soybean parent lines, with initial trials starting this year.
