News | From Desert Dust to Wine: Genetic Sequencing Reshapes Agricultural Resilience in Portugal
MGI Tech Co., Ltd. has announced a partnership with the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon to use advanced genetic sequencing to identify and monitor microorganisms in Saharan dust. The project will assess how these “bioaerosols” are reshaping Portuguese agricultural soils and affecting vineyard quality and yields. The partnership aims to give Portugal's wine regions more precise agricultural management tools while exploring biotechnology opportunities to improve crop productivity, quality and sustainability.
Portugal, particularly its southern regions, lies along one of the main deposition routes for Saharan dust. As climate change intensifies, dust intrusions are becoming more frequent and extensive, carrying millions of microorganisms that can be precisely identified through DNA sequencing. These microorganisms can substantially alter soil and plant microbiomes, affecting soil fertility, disease resistance, grape quality and agricultural yields—all factors directly tied to local agriculture's resilience and competitiveness.
Using MGI Tech's highly sensitive sequencing technologies—including the DNBSEQ-G99 platform, which can analyze millions of microorganisms in real time—the University of Lisbon is systematically mapping microbial communities in dust, farmland soil and grapevines. This multilevel monitoring can help identify risks early and uncover microbial resources with potential agricultural applications.
Professor Ricardo Dias, a researcher at the University of Lisbon, said: “Dust has two sides: it can bring risks that threaten yields, but it may also carry microorganisms with biotechnological value. We must monitor and understand both sides to protect and strengthen the resilience of Portuguese agriculture.”
He added that MGI's technology has enabled the team to capture critical information quickly during extreme weather events. “During Storm Célia, we used the G99 to identify for the first time in Portugal a bacterial genus with potential as a natural fertilizer, demonstrating the immediate value of dust monitoring. We are also testing non-native microbial consortia to strengthen vineyard resilience, improve grape quality and reduce pesticide use. Working with MGI means that building agricultural resilience begins not after the dust settles, but the moment we start analyzing it.”
MGI President Duncan Yu said: “This partnership shows how sequencing can turn dust into data—starting with vineyards, but ultimately aiming to build a ‘microbial intelligence’ network for the entire agricultural system.”
With Portugal's wine production down 8% in 2024 according to CEEV data, and amid worsening climate change and dust intrusions, the project is viewed as an important measure to protect the country's wine economy. Combining genomics with agriculture is introducing new methods for soil monitoring, pathogen alerts, microbial management and crop improvement, helping Portugal remain a leader in agricultural innovation and climate resilience.
News | From Desert Dust to Wine: Genetic Sequencing Reshapes Agricultural Resilience in Portugal
News | From Desert Dust to Wine: Genetic Sequencing Reshapes Agricultural Resilience in Portugal
MGI Tech Co., Ltd. has announced a partnership with the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon to use advanced genetic sequencing to identify and monitor microorganisms in Saharan dust. The project will assess how these “bioaerosols” are reshaping Portuguese agricultural soils and affecting vineyard quality and yields. The partnership aims to give Portugal's wine regions more precise agricultural management tools while exploring biotechnology opportunities to improve crop productivity, quality and sustainability.
Portugal, particularly its southern regions, lies along one of the main deposition routes for Saharan dust. As climate change intensifies, dust intrusions are becoming more frequent and extensive, carrying millions of microorganisms that can be precisely identified through DNA sequencing. These microorganisms can substantially alter soil and plant microbiomes, affecting soil fertility, disease resistance, grape quality and agricultural yields—all factors directly tied to local agriculture's resilience and competitiveness.
Using MGI Tech's highly sensitive sequencing technologies—including the DNBSEQ-G99 platform, which can analyze millions of microorganisms in real time—the University of Lisbon is systematically mapping microbial communities in dust, farmland soil and grapevines. This multilevel monitoring can help identify risks early and uncover microbial resources with potential agricultural applications.
Professor Ricardo Dias, a researcher at the University of Lisbon, said: “Dust has two sides: it can bring risks that threaten yields, but it may also carry microorganisms with biotechnological value. We must monitor and understand both sides to protect and strengthen the resilience of Portuguese agriculture.”
He added that MGI's technology has enabled the team to capture critical information quickly during extreme weather events. “During Storm Célia, we used the G99 to identify for the first time in Portugal a bacterial genus with potential as a natural fertilizer, demonstrating the immediate value of dust monitoring. We are also testing non-native microbial consortia to strengthen vineyard resilience, improve grape quality and reduce pesticide use. Working with MGI means that building agricultural resilience begins not after the dust settles, but the moment we start analyzing it.”
MGI President Duncan Yu said: “This partnership shows how sequencing can turn dust into data—starting with vineyards, but ultimately aiming to build a ‘microbial intelligence’ network for the entire agricultural system.”
With Portugal's wine production down 8% in 2024 according to CEEV data, and amid worsening climate change and dust intrusions, the project is viewed as an important measure to protect the country's wine economy. Combining genomics with agriculture is introducing new methods for soil monitoring, pathogen alerts, microbial management and crop improvement, helping Portugal remain a leader in agricultural innovation and climate resilience.
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