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by Sarah Basiri on Mar 31, 2025 11:58:13 AM
Biome Makers and Anglo American have collaborated on a joint research project on the
impact of POLY4, Anglo American’s new low-carbon fertiliser, on the soil microbiome.
The partnership sees soil trials analyse and verify how Anglo American’s new multi-nutrient
fertiliser, POLY4 influences soil microbiome composition and functionality based on a study
of tomatoes and wheat in Spain.
The soil trials confirmed that with a targeted approach, POLY4 is environmentally friendly, it
preserves native soil microbiome biodiversity and boosts microbial nutrient mobilisation of
potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and chlorine (Cl), improving plant nutrient uptake and
development. The research also showed a reduction in soil electrical conductivity, thanks to
the activation of calcium and chlorine microbial mobilisation, which further supports healthy
soil ecosystems.
Dr Kathryn Bartlett, Soil Science Principal at Anglo American, said: “The results from these
experimental trials not only demonstrate the efficacy of POLY4 as a sustainable multi-
nutrient fertiliser, but also highlight its potential to improve soil health generally in agricultural
systems.”
“Our collaboration with Anglo American shows our commitment to advancing sustainable
agriculture through applied science,” said Dr. Alberto Acedo, Chief Scientific Officer of Biome
Makers. “By leveraging BeCrop’s proprietary microbiome analysis tools and global soil
database, we are able to provide companies like Anglo American with strong evidence of the
positive effects of emerging ag input products on soil health.
“Biome Makers’ BeCrop® Technology was fundamental to the study and confirms that
POLY4 exhibits differentiated impact on the soil microbiome, promoting beneficial microbial
functionality and increasing nutrient availability to the crop from the soil, which is incredibly
important for long term soil health and therefore future food security.”
Biome Makers is committed to assisting ag-input manufacturers in understanding the impact
of their products on soil microbiome composition and functionality. The company has worked
with leading agricultural companies like Syngenta, Bayer, Disagro, UPL, among others to
successfully demonstrate how leveraging soil biology data can foster healthier soils, improve
ecosystem services, and ultimately lead to more sustainable farming practices.
In the photo: Ifigenia Urbina Barreto, Ph.D. in Ecology and former Biome Makers employee, conducting a tomato trial.
You can find out more about the research and get the real view of a farmer by listening to
this recent webinar: Advancing Sustainable Agriculture Webinar.
For further information, visit https://uk.angloamerican.com or https://biomemakers.com/
Contact:
Sarah Basiri
Biome Makers Inc.
marketing@biomemakers.com
Nina Harding
Anglo American
nina.harding@angloamerican.com
About Biome Makers:
Founded in the heart of Silicon Valley in 2015, Biome Makers is a global leader in AgTech, pioneering advancements in soil health with its proprietary BeCrop® technology. With a strong foundation in data science and microbiome analysis, Biome Makers bridges the gap between soil biology and agricultural decision-making, helping farmers, agronomists, and industry professionals optimize farming practices. By reversing soil degradation and promoting regenerative agriculture, the company is transforming the way soil health is understood and managed worldwide.
At the core of Biome Makers' innovation is BeCrop®, the world’s leading soil data intelligence platform. Powered by an extensive database of 44.7 million microorganisms, BeCrop® leverages microbiome DNA sequencing and machine learning to analyze microbial interactions, predict agronomic risks, and enhance soil functionality. The platform provides actionable insights that empower farmers to make data-driven decisions, improve yields, and implement sustainable farm management practices.
With laboratories across the globe, customers spanning six continents, and over 2.2 million acres of land positively impacted, Biome Makers is committed to revitalizing soil health on a global scale. BeCrop® offers an independent, science-backed digital solution that enables field-by-field analysis, supporting product development, optimizing farm operations, and fostering a future where agriculture and soil health thrive.
About Anglo American:
Anglo American is a leading global mining company focused on the responsible production
of copper, premium iron ore and crop nutrients – future-enabling products that are essential
for decarbonising the global economy, improving living standards, and food security. Our
portfolio of world-class operations and outstanding resource endowments offers value-
accretive growth potential across all three businesses, positioning us to deliver into
structurally attractive major demand growth trends.
Our integrated approach to sustainability and innovation drives our decision-making across
the value chain, from how we discover new resources to how we mine, process, move and
market our products to our customers – safely, efficiently and responsibly. Our Sustainable
Mining Plan commits us to a series of stretching goals over different time horizons to ensure
we contribute to a healthy environment, create thriving communities and build trust as a
corporate leader. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to
unlock enduring value from precious natural resources for our shareholders, for the benefit
of the communities and countries in which we operate, and for society as a whole. Anglo
American is re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.
Anglo American is currently implementing a number of major structural changes to unlock
the inherent value in its portfolio and thereby accelerate delivery of its strategic priorities of
operational excellence, portfolio simplification, and growth. This portfolio transformation will
focus Anglo American on its world-class resource asset base in copper, premium iron ore
and crop nutrients, once the sale of our steelmaking coal and nickel businesses, the
demerger of our PGMs business (Anglo American Platinum), and the separation of our
iconic diamond business (De Beers) have been completed.