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Biolumic, a company specializing in light programming of seeds to activate traits, has launched its first commercial system at Gro Alliance farm in Cuba City, Wisconsin. This moment marks the beginning of the use of BioLumic Genetic Expression Trait (xTrait™) technology in the global seed market, opening up new possibilities for increasing crop yields.
The launch of BioLumic represents a breakthrough in agriculture, introducing a new natural approach to trait innovation that is more efficient and scalable than traditional biotechnological methods. For the first time, seed companies can introduce light-programmed traits that enhance genetic expression in elite inbred and hybrid plants, opening up new prospects for crop improvement without genetic modification.
Following third-party field trials and demonstration of trait transmission to hybrid offspring, BioLumic's light-activated traits have become part of a broad portfolio of partner inbred corn strains. Several seed companies have already obtained licenses to use this new technology, and commercial hybrid traits are expected to hit the market by the 2026 planting season.
"This launch is a significant breakthrough for seed companies looking for a new category of traits - traits that enhance natural genetic expression rather than alter the genome," notes BioLumic CEO Steve Sibulkin. "We offer a completely new approach to trait programming in agricultural crops and speeding up breeding cycles - traits that are fast, cost-effective, and scalable."
The BioLumic xTrait™ platform uses ultraviolet light to control genetic expression without genetic modification. This scalable and non-chemical approach enhances plant growth, energy, composition, and resilience, bypassing the expensive regulatory constraints associated with genetic modification.
Seed companies can acquire licenses to use BioLumic Genetic Expression Traits that match their genetic traits and integrate into parent strains. As BioLumic's first commercial partner, Gro Alliance is carrying out the trait activation process.
Breeder Direct is also commercializing xTraits for several inbred lines in its expanding portfolio, with commercial hybrid traits expected to appear this year.
"We see this as a breakthrough in seed innovation," emphasizes Breeder Direct's Sales and Product Development Director Mark Newman. "BioLumic's technology enhances the yield and beneficial characteristics of our latest plasma, opening up new possibilities for seed companies and farmers."
BioLumic's light-activated traits have been tested on various genetic partners across more than 6000 plots and have successfully demonstrated:
- over 20% average yield increase in multiple untreated hybrid lines (traits transferred from activated parent strains);
- 8.2% yield increase in over a dozen activated inbred varieties;
- improvement in rooting characteristics such as germination, sprouting energy, and uniformity.
While corn was the first commercial launch, the xTrait platform is already expanding to rice, ryegrass, and soybeans through funded partnerships. In addition to these crops, over 10 new traits are in development, offering new perspectives for improving crop resilience, stress tolerance, and fertilization in markets increasingly demanding non-GMO and climate-smart solutions.
"This technology is designed for speed, scalability, and impact," adds Sibulkin. "By opening up new possibilities for genetic expression, we are creating a future where adaptive and high-performance traits are not only widely available but ready to address modern issues without decades of waiting."
Unlike traditional GMO and gene editing methods, the BioLumic platform avoids the lengthy development process, regulatory oversight, and high costs, reducing the trait implementation time from 10+ years to just 3 years and lowering costs by up to 90%.
