Biostimulants are beneficial microbes that are applied to crops to promote plant growth and increase yield. These microbes live naturally on plants and produce molecules that stimulate plant growth, either by producing plant growth hormones or by increasing the bioavailability of nutrients from the soil. Biostimulants are seeing increasing use in agriculture, as they represent an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical fertilisers. Despite their benefits, however, hurdles remain to the widespread adoption of biostimulants in agriculture, including inconsistent results and long development times. By repurposing our highly promising research pipeline for biocontrol bacteria (i.e. natural alternatives to chemical pesticides), we aim to overcome these barriers and generate a highly efficient biostimulant to support sustainable agriculture and specifically berry growers. Berries are one of the most valuable crops in the UK and globally, and production is heavily dependent on the use of synthetic agrochemicals. Currently, the use of biostimulants by the UK berry market is limited, although our initial market research suggests that this limitation is primarily due to the absence of reliable, cost-effective products on the market. The demand for these products is high, and our biostimulants will launch into a large and enthusiastic marketplace. The proposed project will use our innovative discovery technology to overcome the limitations of current biostimulant generation pipelines, allowing us to deliver a highly effective, bacteria-based biostimulant for the berry sector. We aim to \[1\] identify new berry biostimulants from our existing bacterial collections, \[2\] test their durability and survival on berry plants, \[3\] define the biochemical mode-of-action of our biostimulant strains, and \[4\] address key questions relating to scalability, formulation and product stability. This work will run in parallel to and support our highly successful, ongoing discovery of effective biocontrol agents for key berry diseases, and has the potential both to open up an exciting new market for PfBIO and to increase the value of our existing biocontrol prototypes. Ultimately, the generated biostimulants will support berry growers, contribute to more sustainable farming practices, reduce waste and costs, enhance plant health and crop quality, and decrease the ecological footprint of berry horticulture. With InnovateUK support, this 12-month research programme will deliver a commercial prototype product that will revolutionise the future of horticultural practice and food security with global exploitation potential. The project promises significant growth, a strong return on investment, increased employment, and further prospects for research and development investment for our rapidly growing agribusiness.

Biological control agents are beneficial microbes that are applied to crops to fight plant disease. Microbes live on the plant and produce molecules that prevent pathogen/pest invasion. These "biocontrol" products are becoming more widely used, as they represent an environmentally friendly option to synthetic agrochemicals. In addition, recent bans on the most hazardous agrochemicals have left growers with fewer solutions for crop disease management. Despite their benefits, barriers remain to the widespread adoption of biocontrol products in agriculture, including inconsistent protection and long development times. We aim to overcome these barriers by using our novel technology that allows us to quickly identify biocontrol bacteria that can effectively protect crops under agricultural conditions. Our innovation also allows us to identify the underlying mechanism of action, leading to the generation of high-quality products for the agricultural sector. Potato is the 3rd most important crop in the world, and production is heavily dependent on synthetic pesticides. Potato diseases such asBlack Scurf, Stem Canker, and Blackleg, respectively caused by the fungal pathogen _Rhizoctonia solani,_ and the bacteria _Pectobacterium atrosepticum_ and _Dickeya solani,_ are responsible for over 30% of potato production loss if preventative treatments are not applied. To prevent such loss, agrochemicals are added as potato seed coatings or as an in-furrow application. Long-term, persistent treatment increases pesticide-resistant pathogens throughout the food chain, causing increased production losses and reduction of the tubers' storage life. Currently, limited biological solutions are available to prevent _Rhizoctonia_ and _Pectobacterium_ infections in potatoes and more sustainable bio-products are needed to sustain the potato industry. The proposed project seeks to utilise our innovative technology to overcome the limitations of current biological treatments and deliver a fully effective bacterial-based solution for potato protection. Our technology will allow us to: \[1\] quickly identify the most effective biocontrol agents, \[2\] rapidly identify modes of action, \[3\] provide products that have optimal activity in the targeted crop species. Ultimately, the biocontrol product will support potato growers, contribute to more sustainable farming practices, reduce costs, enhance product storage life, and decrease the associated ecological footprint. With InnovateUK support, this 12-month research programme will deliver a prototype product validated in both lab and agricultural settings. Our novel approach to biocontrol discovery has the potential to revolutionise the future of agricultural practice and food security with global exploitation potential. The project will deliver significant expert-led growth for PfBIO, increased employment, and further opportunities for R&D investment.

Biological control agents are beneficial microbes that are applied to crops to fight plant disease. Microbes live on the plant and produce molecules that prevent pathogen/pest invasion. These "biocontrol" products are becoming more widely used, as they represent an environmentally friendly option to synthetic agrichemicals. In addition, recent bans on the most hazardous agrochemicals have left growers with fewer solutions for crop disease management. Despite their benefits, barriers remain to the widespread adoption of biocontrol products in agriculture, including inconsistent protection and long development times. We aim to overcome these barriers by using our novel technology that allows us to quickly identify biocontrol bacteria that can survive and effectively protect crops under commercial growing conditions. Our innovation also allows us to identify the underlying mechanism of action, leading to the generation of high-quality products for the agricultural sector. Berries are one of the most valuable crops in the UK and globally, and production is heavily dependent on the use of synthetic fungicides. They are usually sprayed once a week to prevent fungal and oomycete diseases such as Botrytis and crown rot. These diseases are responsible for over 50% of strawberry production loss if plants are not promptly treated. Long term, persistent spraying increases pesticide-resistant pathogens throughout the food chain, causing increased production losses and a reduction of the fruit shelf life. Currently, no biological solutions are available to prevent crown rot in berries, while those biocontrol products that are available to control Botrytis have limited efficacy. The proposed project seeks to utilise our innovative technology to overcome the limitations of current biological treatments and deliver the first fully effective bacterial-based solution to prevent Botrytis and crown rot in berries. Our technology will allow us to: \[1\] quickly identify the most effective biocontrol agents, \[2\] rapidly identify modes of action, \[3\] provide products that have optimal activity in the targeted crop species. Ultimately, the biocontrol product will support berry growers, contributing to more sustainable farming practices, reducing costs, enhancing product shelf-life, and decreasing the associated ecological footprint. With InnovateUK support, this 6-month research programme will deliver a prototype product validated in both lab and horticultural settings. Our novel approach to biocontrol discovery has the potential to revolutionise the future of horticultural practice and food security with global exploitation potential. The project will deliver significant expert-led growth for PfBIO, a substantial ROI, increased employment, and further opportunities for R&D investment.