Aphea.Bio leads the way to innovative microbial solutions for drought-resilient crops

Aphea.Bio is emerging as a pioneering force within the BOOSTER Project, driving innovative solutions to enhance drought tolerance in essential crops such as maize and with the potential to transfer to teff. The company is deeply involved in a multifaceted initiative that combines rigorous greenhouse experiments with extensive field trials to identify and develop the most effective microbial biostimulants.​

At the heart of Aphea.Bio’s contribution is a comprehensive drought screening process. Diverse soil samples have provided a rich source of microbial isolates, which are now being tested to evaluate their potential in mitigating drought stress. Approximately 200 isolates were received from the other project partner, VIB, and to date, 143 of these have been incorporated into the company’s state-of-the-art greenhouse drought screening program conducted under controlled environmental conditions.

The screening process unfolds methodically. Initially, microbe-coated and control maize seeds are cultivated under optimal, non-stress conditions to ensure healthy growth during a predefined period. Following this phase, the plants are carefully transferred into a substrate where water is deliberately withheld, triggering drought stress until visible symptoms emerge. This is then followed by re-watering to allow for a recovery phase. Ultimately, the plants are harvested, and both fresh and dry biomass are measured to assess the impact of the microbial treatments.

Early proof-of-concept experiments have yielded a range of outcomes. Some microbial isolates have demonstrated a notable positive effect by significantly increasing dry biomass compared to mock-treated seeds, while others have exhibited lower biomass effects, potentially pointing towards the plant going into a stress survival and water-saving modus. These insights are crucial for refining the selection process and advancing only the most promising candidates.

In parallel with the screening efforts, Aphea.Bio is also advancing the formulation of the obtained high-quality microbial biostimulants. During the next phase of the project, the identified biostimulants along with the different seed coating formulations (SWEs) will be rigorously tested in field trials across the Mediterranean and South/East zones of Europe. In preparation for these trials, the company is scaling up production, with plans to produce two maize and two teff microbial biostimulants, in addition to extra batches of two maize and two teff SWEs. These steps follow promising in-house greenhouse experiments, which confirmed increased drought tolerance, paving the way for their real-world evaluation