Imagine the soil and our guts as tiny cities filled with helpful bacteria. This project finds the best 'bacteria teams' to help soya beans grow bigger and healthier without using as many chemicals. It then tracks how these improved beans help us feel better and how they can replace fishmeal in fish feed.
European food systems rely too heavily on animal proteins, which causes environmental damage and health issues. There is a lack of sustainable, high-yield plant protein alternatives that are nutritionally optimized and climate-resilient.
A pan-European soil bank from 100 fields, a root microbial culture collection for bio-fertilizers, and a genomic database of beneficial bacterial strains.
If you are a bio-fertilizer manufacturer dealing with low crop productivity—this project developed a root microbial culture collection that screens for phosphate-solubilizing abilities to create better bio-fertilizers.
If you are an aquafeed producer dealing with the high cost and environmental impact of fishmeal—this project developed microbiome-enhanced aquafeeds to reduce fishmeal use and improve fish gut health.
If you are a plant-based brand dealing with consumer concerns about nutrition and safety—this project developed a way to improve the nutritional profile and safety of soya seeds through microbiome science.
Based on available project data, specific pricing for the resulting products is not provided; however, the project is supported by an EU contribution of EUR 5,523,171.
The project uses a Multi-Actor Approach and includes 9 industry partners to ensure the transition from lab to field, including trials across 100 soya bean fields.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project has established a root microbial culture collection and sequenced genomes of beneficial bacterial strains.
The project period runs from 2024-01-01 to 2028-12-31, suggesting that final validated solutions will be available toward the end of 2028.
The project integrates field trials and predictive modelling to ensure microbiome-based solutions sustain crop productivity under different environmental conditions.
The consortium is heavily geared toward commercial application, with a 45% industry ratio consisting of 9 companies, including 5 SMEs. With 20 partners across 11 countries, the group combines high-level academic research (6 universities, 3 research institutes) with practical industry expertise in aquaculture, food production, and agronomy, ensuring the research is grounded in market needs.
Contact AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH for partnership opportunities.
Contact SciTransfer to connect with the MICROBIOMES4SOY consortium for licensing and pilot trials.
