Bioprime launches library with plant-associated microbes

Bioprime Agrisolutions, an agrotechnology startup, has launched Bionexus Library, the first of its kind and largest collection of plant-associated microbes in India.

This initiative aims to unlock the hidden potential of microbial communities residing within plants, and help learn about crop resilience, productivity and plant protection, says a statement from the company.

Recognizing that each plant is a complex ecosystem comprising diverse microbial organisms that interact symbiotically and influence plant growth and performance, Bioprime Agrisolutions has developed a cutting-edge high-throughput screening process. This approach examines the physiological and biochemical responses of plants to microbes, enabling the identification and validation of promising leads for more comprehensive plant studies and omics.

Sourced from over 300 websites

The Bionexus library currently includes more than 15,000 microbial isolates, obtained from more than 300 sites spanning the length and breadth of India. These valuable resources include specimens from regions as diverse as Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Pangong Tso in Leh, Sonmarg, and Kashmir, to caves in Kerala.

The group includes microbes from sea level to 16,500 ft, 5 to 11, 210 mm to 11,430 mm, and -8°C to 70°C. This covers vast habitats such as grasslands, rainforests, lakes, caves, deserts, glaciers, river basins, geysers, sulfur springs, mines, and more to name a few.

This comprehensive database of microbial diversity will provide researchers and scientists with insights into India’s unique microbial ecology, which is particularly crucial in addressing climate change and the urgent need for sustainable agriculture.

A sustainable agricultural journey

Bioprime Agrisolutions co-founder and CEO Renuka Dewan said the launch of the Bionexus library marks a major milestone in the company’s journey towards sustainable agriculture. “By focusing on the complex relationship between plants and their associated microbial communities, we unlock nature’s secrets to unlock the full potential of our crops,” she said.

This library will stimulate innovation, Diwan said, enabling us to develop new products and solutions that enhance crop resilience, productivity and protection.

Bioprime Agrisolutions has identified eight promising products from the microbial isolates in the pipeline. These products have huge potential to transform agriculture and address pressing challenges faced by farmers.