As part of their commitment to develop and commercialize innovative microbial solutions for farmers through The BioAg Alliance, Monsanto and Novozymes announced an updated research and development pipeline.

Among the highlights is the Corn BioYield 2 project, which advanced to Phase 4 (pre-commercial) in the R&D pipeline and is expected to be branded as Acceleron B-360 ST, pending regulatory approvals. Acceleron B-360 ST is supposed to promote symbiosis between microbes and corn plants to strengthen root systems and increase plants’ access to nutrients. It will be used in combination with Acceleron B-300 SAT, which was introduced in 2017, while Acceleron B-360 ST is scheduled to enter the market in 2019.

The BioAg Alliance also announced the achievement of a significant milestone in the Corn BioYield 3 project. Over the past four years, researchers have screened thousands of microbes across multiple sites to find out which microbes deliver the highest increase in crop yield. A small group of top performers have now been selected for commercial evaluation and development.

Projects in the soy pipeline also progressed, said the partners. The Soy BioYield 2 project is expected to lead to a product for the North American market and a product for South America. Both products contain bacteria that increase soybeans’ uptake of nitrogen leading to improved plant health and more bountiful harvests. The Soy BioNematicide project is researching a new biological way to control soybean cyst nematodes, a parasitic roundworm that attacks the roots of soybeans and is a devastating pest worldwide causing stunted growth and severe loss of yield. The project has now shown efficacy for four consecutive years.

In addition to the pipeline updates, The BioAg Alliance announced it is preparing for expansion into Europe. Today, its products are primarily sold in North and South America, but in 2019-20 the collaboration plans to launch products for growers of corn, oilseed rape and wheat in European markets. The products will mainly be based on Acceleron B-300 SAT and Acceleron B-360 ST technologies.