Pattern Ag (website), a leading agtech firm, is now operating the world’s largest metagenomics database, leveraging soil data from over 43 terabases and continuously expanding. The database, which exceeds the size and significance of the renowned Tara Oceans database, is anticipated to be a game-changer in sustainable agricultural practices worldwide.
Pattern Ag was founded in 2018 and soon began building its pioneering database. As its operations evolved, the company ran DNA tests on collected soil samples, contributing to the database’s growing depth. Currently, Pattern Ag collects and analyzes soil samples from across the Midwest, with plans to extend this effort globally.
“Our vision is to create the first global map of the soil microbiome,” a company spokesperson stated. “A key limitation of our understanding of the soil microbiome is the available genomic data at scale.”
Pattern Ag has developed a one-of-a-kind factory that generates soil genomic data. This involves creating biological analytics to improve product placement and investing in advanced robotics platforms to process soil data on a large scale. In addition, by combining different data sets, Pattern Ag can quickly provide new insights into the market and discover organisms and pathways that have not been described before.
Recently, the company released its annual Predictive Ag Report, showcasing its work’s groundbreaking potential. Utilizing the Pattern Ag metagenomics database, the report can predict risks of destructive pests with over 90% accuracy up to 12 months in advance. Farmers can decrease pest and pathogen control costs, including corn rootworm and soybean cyst nematodes, by providing this forward-looking data while promoting sustainable farming practices.
The significance of Pattern Ag’s work is underscored by estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization that food production must increase by 60% by 2050 to meet the demands of the world’s growing population. Companies using insights from the Pattern Ag metagenomics database can help commercialize innovative solutions to boost food production sustainably.
Pattern Ag is actively seeking industry and academic partnerships, inviting other entities to leverage its metagenomics database to address practical agronomic challenges for farmers. The result could be a global revolution in sustainable agriculture, driven by data and insights that have never been available at this scale.
Photo by Spencer Scott Pugh on Unsplash
