AgriZeroNZ funding to help BioLumic shine light brightly
Agricultural biotech startup BioLumic has received a funding boost from AgriZeroNZ to develop low-emission farm pasture by using ultraviolet light.
BioLumic, which has offices in Palmerston North and the United States, uses UV light treatment on seeds and crops to improve the productivity of plants, leading to better crop yields, and protects plants from disease without using chemicals or genetic modification.
AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture fast tracking emissions reduction tools for farmers, is investing up to $5 million in BioLumic.
The funding will allow BioLumic to use its technology on ryegrass, the most common forage pasture on New Zealand farms.
The goal was to increase fat content and reduce methane emissions from animals that eat the grass.
Animals with high-fat diets have lower methane emissions.
Studies have found a 1% increase in lipids (fat) content of feed could reduce methane emissions by about 5%.
BioLumic was targeting a 2-3% increase in the lipids content of ryegrass to reduce methane by more than 12%.
The funding was part of BioLumic’s raising of capital so it could use its products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“We’ve developed light recipes from billions of potential options that, with a precise application, can significantly increase plant performance across a range of crop varieties and growing conditions,” said BioLumic founder and chief science officer Jason Wargent.
“We’re confident we can achieve similar results in ryegrass with a focus on reduced methane, and we’re really pleased to be working with AgriZeroNZ to develop this important solution for New Zealand to put farmers at the forefront of low emissions pasture farming.”
Wargent said the company was targeting wide-scale use from 2027, with reduced regulatory barriers expected.
AgriZeroNZ chief executive Wayne McNee said this could be a simple solution to reducing emissions on New Zealand’s pasture-based farms, help meet global customer demands for emissions reduction, protect trade agreements, and achieve New Zealand’s climate goals. “Pasture is the foundation of the business for Kiwi farmers, so a pasture solution to curb methane and boost productivity will be an important option in their tool kit to reduce emissions.
“BioLumic’s work is an exciting prospect to help secure the future of farming in New Zealand with the very thing that makes our agricultural sector unique and drives our competitive edge today high quality grass.
“They have achieved promising results on ryegrass to date. We’re looking forward to seeing how it progresses,” McNee said.
This is AgriZeroNZ’s sixth major investment to increase the development of emissions reduction technologies for Kiwi farmers, having committed more than $22 million to date.
McNee said the aim was to have two or three emissions reduction tools in widespread use by 2030.