Biodegradable Electronic Seed BioSeed: Plant It in Soil and It Becomes Fertilizer in Six Weeks

BioSeed, jointly released by the Electronics Materials Lab at ETH Zurich and biodegradable materials startup Ligno AG, is a fully biodegradable micro electronic module. The module measures about 5 millimeters square and contains temperature, humidity, and light sensors along with a micro wireless transmitter, suitable for soil monitoring in precision agriculture.

The core innovation of BioSeed is a fully biodegradable electronic circuit. Traditional electronics rely on silicon-based chips and metal interconnects, which can persist in soil for centuries. BioSeed uses a cellulose substrate to replace the conventional PCB, a degradable polymer as the semiconductor material, and iron-based ink for conductors. All materials have passed the OECD 301B biodegradability test, with more than 95 percent degradation within six weeks.

The first wave of applications covers soil monitoring in vineyards and organic farms. Eight wineries in the Swiss wine region of Valais have deployed 12,000 BioSeeds to monitor soil moisture and vine growth. Vintners can use the real-time data to decide when to irrigate, cutting water use by around 30 percent annually. Ligno AG has begun accepting orders from other European agricultural regions, with shipments starting in the second half of 2026.