MGI Tech empowers the University of Lisbon to study impact of Saharan dust on Portuguese agriculture with vineyards as key case study

Lisbon, 10 December 2025  - MGI Tech Co., Ltd, a company dedicated to developing core tools and technologies that drive innovation in life sciences, supports the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon to identify and monitor microorganisms transported by Saharan dust by applying advanced sequencing technology. The aim is to understand how these bioaerosols - increasingly frequent due to climate change - are transforming Portuguese agricultural soils and affecting the quality and productivity of vineyards in Portuguese wine-producing regions, while simultaneously identifying opportunities to improve crop productivity, quality and sustainability.

Portugal, particularly the south, lies along one of the main deposition routes for Saharan dust. These intrusions transport millions of microorganisms, identifiable through DNA analysis, which can profoundly alter soil and plant microbiomes, as well as influencing soil fertility, disease resistance, grape quality and crop yields - key factors for the sustainability and competitiveness of the agricultural sector. The insights gained are expected to inform sustainable practices for a wider range of crops and agricultural ecosystems.

With the support of MGI Tech’s high-sensitivity sequencing technology, including the DNBSEQ-G99 platform, capable of analysing millions of microorganisms in real time with high sensitivity, ULisboa is mapping the microbial composition of dust, soils and plants, enabling early risk anticipation and the identification of biotechnological opportunities.

“The impact of dust is bidirectional: it can bring risks that threaten productivity, but it also carries microorganisms with biotechnological potential. We need to monitor and understand both sides to protect and enhance Portuguese agricultural resilience,” explains Prof. Ricardo Dias, researcher at the University of Lisbon.

This knowledge paves the way for the development of precision agriculture solutions, including the identification of beneficial microorganisms, early pathogen detection and the creation of microbial consortia capable of improving vineyard resilience.

“The G99 enabled us to identify, during storm Célia and in Portugal, a bacterial genus with potential to act as a natural fertiliser, demonstrating the immediate value of this kind of monitoring,” says Prof. Ricardo Dias. “We have also been testing non-native microbial consortia that increase vineyard resilience, improve grape quality and reduce the need for pesticides. With this innovation in partnership with MGI, resilience does not begin when the dust settles, it begins when we analyse it.”

“Our partnership with the University of Lisbon demonstrates how sequencing can turn dust into data - starting in vineyards, but ultimately building a system of microbial intelligence for agriculture at large,” stated Duncan Yu, President of MGI.

In a year when Portugal recorded in 2024 an 8% drop in wine production according to the CEEV, and faces increasing challenges due to climate change and a significant rise in Saharan dust intrusions, this project represents a major step forward in protecting the national wine-growing economy. The integration of genomics into agriculture is opening the door to new ways of monitoring, managing and improving soils and crops, strengthening the country’s position at the forefront of agricultural innovation and climate resilience.