Dive Brief:

• Lucent Biosciences received patent approval for a biodegradable nutrient delivery technology meant to provide a more sustainable alternative to traditional fertilizers.

• The patent for the technology detailed systems and methods for delivering plant nutrients and minerals via water-insoluble polymers, which are expected to reduce runoff of chemicals like nitrogen and phosphorus. 

• The Vancouver, British Columbia-based biotech company said approval is a milestone toward the commercialization of Soileos, a product that binds micronutrients to cellulose and releases nutrients into the soil over time rather than all at once. It’s created from the upcycling of pea, lentil and oat hulls.

Dive Insight:

As global food systems face challenges due to climate change and demand pressures from population growth, companies are promoting regenerative agriculture, a farming approach aimed at soil health restoration and natural resource preservation.

Lucent Bio said current micronutrient fertilizers cannot deliver the right amount of nutrients when plants need them.

“This patented technology redefines the concept of sustainable farming, by providing a fertilizer solution that is more efficient, environmentally responsible, and providing a better ROI for the farmer,” Peter Gross, CTO at Lucent Bio, said in a statement.

According to the company’s white paper, upcycled plant materials are used as a natural replacement for synthetic chelates, often used in conventional fertilizers, to deliver plant nutrients and trace minerals such as zinc to promote healthy plant growth.

The designation from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office comes as Lucent Bio scales operations for its flagship product Soileos. The product is part of a joint venture with AGT Foods, one of the largest suppliers of lentils, peas and other pulses.

Lucent Bio has received generous support for its sustainability efforts. In March, the Government of Canada allocated $1.3 million in federal funding for the biotech company to develop natural, non-polluting micronutrients for seed coatings that reduce runoff of the main ingredients in most fertilizers: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.