Hi Fidelity Genetics has been awarded a $224,999 grant from the STTR program of the Department of Energy. This award will be used to develop better ways to measure root system architecture and rhizosphere properties, both of which are critical for agricultural efficiency. A better understanding of the root-microbe-soil interactions that characterize the rhizosphere will help reduce fertilizer, pesticide, and herbicide inputs, improve effective carbon dioxide sequestration, enhance crop production, and lead to more efficient farms with higher profitability.
The rhizosphere is difficult to measure, requiring soil samples, complex spectroscopy, and other expensive and time-consuming procedures, which limit the pace of innovation. The device developed under this proposal overcomes these challenges. Unlike other approaches, e.g. soil sampling, the device functions in the field and can monitor the rhizosphere continuously without human intervention.
Hi Fidelity Genetics is proud to receive this grant and continue work that will improve agricultural efficiency.