Thursday, January 8, 2026
A groundbreaking biotechnology company, Rhizocore Technologies, is transforming global forest restoration with innovative fungal pellets designed to restore depleted soils and enhance tree growth. This pioneering Scottish company has tapped into the power of mycorrhizal fungi to accelerate forest recovery, offering a sustainable solution for reforestation projects.
Rhizocore is working towards creating the world’s largest library of fungal specimens, with a focus on mycorrhizal fungi, the key organisms that trees rely on for survival. Through global collaboration, the company is gathering fungal samples from diverse ecosystems to build a comprehensive collection that can be used to support tree growth in ecosystems that have been affected by deforestation and agricultural activities.
The company’s flagship product, the “rhizopellet,” is a small, rectangular grey pellet infused with a specific strain of fungi. These pellets are strategically planted alongside saplings in soils where the necessary fungal networks have been depleted. Mycorrhizal fungi form a vital symbiotic relationship with tree roots, providing access to water and essential nutrients. However, this relationship is often weakened or lost entirely due to human activities such as intensive farming and deforestation. Rhizocore’s pellets aim to restore this relationship, ensuring the health and survival of young trees.
These engineered fungal pellets are designed to bind to the roots of newly planted trees, delivering a tailored fungal culture that enhances the tree’s ability to thrive in its environment. The pellets offer several benefits, including improved tree survival rates and faster establishment of healthy root systems. In fact, a recent project with Forestry and Land Scotland revealed a 25% increase in tree survival thanks to the use of these pellets. Rhizocore’s founder, Dr Toby Parkes, claims that in some cases, the pellets can improve tree survival rates by as much as 50%.
The process behind creating these pellets is intricate and scientifically precise. In Rhizocore’s laboratory, mycorrhizal fungi are carefully sourced and analysed. The company receives fungal samples, which are then stored in cryogenic freezers at temperatures as low as negative 80°C to preserve their integrity. Once the appropriate fungal strain is identified, it is cultured and brewed into a liquid, which is subsequently applied to the pellets. These pellets are produced in controlled conditions, ensuring that each one contains a unique fungal strain suited to the specific needs of the tree species and environment.
The demand for Rhizocore’s pellets has grown significantly, especially as reforestation projects across the globe continue to scale. To meet this demand, the company recently secured £4.5 million in funding to expand its operations into North America. Dr Parkes highlighted the importance of these investments: “Our results clearly show that planting success can be increased by tapping into the belowground fertilisation superpowers of fungi,” he said. “We aim to protect, restore, and harness the fungal kingdom of life for the betterment of nature and for people.”
The company’s work is vital, as biodiversity and fungal species play an integral role in forest health. Dr Parkes believes that there may be as many as three million fungal species globally, with only 10% of them currently catalogued. This immense diversity is yet to be fully understood, but Rhizocore is committed to protecting and utilising these fungi for global reforestation efforts.
Rhizocore’s fungal pellets have already been used extensively in reforestation and commercial forestry projects across the UK and Europe. The company’s tailored approach to fungal restoration has resulted in strong, healthy trees with a better chance of long-term survival. Dr Parkes describes the process as a “mutual, beneficial relationship” between the pellets and the trees, ensuring that the trees are nurtured by the very fungi they need to thrive.
Many reforestation projects take place on land that was previously used for agriculture. In these areas, the essential fungi have often been depleted, making it difficult for newly planted trees to survive. Dr Petra Guy, Rhizocore’s plant data scientist, explains that the right fungal species must be reintroduced to ensure successful reforestation. “A lot of reforestation might take place in ex-agricultural soils, and the trees you’re planting might need the specific type of fungi which won’t occur there,” she said. “Or if you’re trying to reintroduce trees into upland moor sites, where there haven’t been trees for hundreds of years, these fungi can be non-existent.”
Dr Guy’s research focuses on identifying the correct fungal partners for various tree species. She conducts soil foraging to find the right strains, which is a vital step in restoring the underground fungal networks that healthy forests depend on.
Rhizocore’s innovative work is not only improving reforestation success rates but also creating a pathway for a sustainable and biodiverse future. The company’s goal is to continue expanding its fungal specimen library and provide tailored solutions for forest restoration on a global scale. “Biodiversity doesn’t care about borders,” said Dr Parkes. Rhizocore’s approach is poised to make a significant impact on forest ecosystems worldwide, benefiting both nature and communities that rely on healthy forests.
Rhizocore’s cutting-edge technology, rooted in mycorrhizal fungi, presents a promising solution to the challenges facing global forest restoration efforts. By leveraging the power of fungi, Rhizocore is helping to create more resilient forests and healthier ecosystems for the future.
News Source- https://woodcentral.com.
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Tags: Biotechnology in forestry, forest reforestation, Fungal Pellets, global forest restoration, Mycorrhizal fungi, Soil restoration, sustainable forestry, woodworking and processing, woodworking industry
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