In California, Trace Genomics has tested over 10,000 different soil samples for customers like Driscoll strawberry producer and Western Growers Association, to help growers better understand and improve the microbes and biology of their soil. They’ve raised $4M in capital so far to develop their technology which uses machine learning combined with genomics testing to help gather and analyze biological data in soil.
Farmers order a kit and send back a sample of their soil where Trace Genomics then sequences the DNA it finds in the soil to see what microbes are present. The information is then used to help farmers improve their soil and thus improve yields. Trace Genomics can also identify diseases in the soil and is building a database they hope will be valuable for growers.