Limburg seed mats could transform global food production

What started with annoyance over a patch of lawn where the grass refused to come up has now evolved into a technology that could radically change global food production. A trial by Frank Lub in his own garden, together with colleague Gerard Otten, has led to the startup S+dB. The first product is the gGrass grass seed roll, but that's just the beginning.

Gluing seeds

When seeding and sodding couldn't fix the bare patch in Frank Lub's garden, he tried something else. He smeared glue on a biodegradable cloth, sprinkled grass seeds evenly over it, placed the cloth on the bare spot and covered it with a thin layer of soil. The result? A fantastic piece of garden! Lub tried it again and again the method worked extremely well. He recalled a conversation he once had with the seed company Nunhems in Limburg and realized he had made a discovery with great potential.

gGrass

Frank Lub tells his colleague Gerard Otten about his invention. Both techies work at a Velcro manufacturer and their experience with the machines there leads them to ideas for seed mat production. It is the beginning of the startup S+dB. After years of experimentation, especially the development of the machine is difficult, there is now the product gGrass. A grass seed roll for gardeners and hobby gardeners in which grass seeds are scattered randomly yet very precisely, surrounded by a wealth of substances that stimulate growth. Packaged between a thin bottom layer of wood pulp - resembling paper - and an equally thin top layer of polymer, both fully biodegradable.

The gGrass seed rolls are produced in a factory hall in Nederweert, where the 25-meter-long production line can annually manufacture seed rolls for an area of 400 soccer fields. With the gGrass seed rolls, the seeds germinate faster, while the cloth stops weeds. Thus, no pesticides are needed. Wind and birds pose no threat to the seeds because they are trapped in the mat. Because the mat retains water, the seeds always receive moisture, regardless of weather conditions. Even in dry areas, this makes planting grass much more promising.

Support

The years of development were certainly not always easy. Gerard Otten says: "It was a lot of trial and error. Messing around, but in a structured way. Near-death experiences we've had too." Important support came from LIOF, the Limburg development company, which continued to support S+dB with investments and advice despite all the delays and adversity. Collaborations with other parties were, and still are, essential, for example with Dutch seed breeders and the HAS University of Applied Sciences. In 2020, S+dB participated in the second round of BL.INC, the acceleration program of Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo, where it won the jury prize.

Impact

Growing grass is just the beginning for S+dB. Much potential is there for the agri-food sector. The start-up has developed ribbons containing very precisely positioned vegetable seeds. "Useful for the hoeing robot that thus knows exactly where the seeds are," Otten explains. "Also, the seeds germinate simultaneously so the crop grows exactly the same which results in a higher yield.

The company is also considering seed strips for growing leafy vegetables on water, for carrots and chicory. As well as for the root pen of chicory that provides a key ingredient (inulin) for the food and pharma industries. With solutions for potato and rice cultivation, the impact on global food production can be significant: "We know seed potatoes, but all relevant potato companies are working on seeds, especially for the developing world. We think our technology also lends itself to rice farming. Now that we are focusing more on food crops, I realize that our technology can contribute to higher food security in the third world and thus to more sustainable cultivation worldwide."

Read the full interview in De Limburger.