Dr Cara Griffiths, SugaROx CTO, receiving the Agriculture Chemical Manufacturer of the Year Award.
The global biostimulants market may still be considered niche compared to other markets for crop inputs such as crop protection products, but things are rapidly changing. Farmers are increasingly turning to biostimulants to boost yields and improve resilience against climate change. As a result, biostimulants are now among the fastest-growing segments in crop inputs.
Traditional biostimulants typically come from algae or plant extracts or are formulated with acids derived from organic waste. Because these products are mixtures of molecules from natural sources, manufacturers often face challenges optimizing their efficacy and ensuring consistent performance.
To address that, we’re developing single-molecule formulations with active ingredients (AIs) inspired by powerful plant molecules. While traditional biostimulants might offer a 2-5% yield boost for farmers, our wheat trials show that the first AI in our pipeline has the potential to increase yields by up to 22%!
With the availability of more effective and reliable technologies, demand for biostimulants will further accelerate. Recognizing the potential of our approach to drive industry growth, CorporateLiveWire has awarded us its Innovation & Excellence Award 2024 for Agriculture Chemical Manufacturer of the Year.
Creating and applying natural plant molecules as AIs in biostimulant formulations is no easy feat. It requires a delicate balance between plant biology, organic chemistry, and agronomy. In this article, we’ll dive into the intricacies of the first two disciplines that form the backbone of our research to explain how we develop game-changing solutions.
Joining Plant Biology & Organic Chemistry
Our process begins by identifying specific targets in plant biology that can significantly enhance crop performance. For yield improvement, we focus on bottlenecks that affect a plant’s capacity to transport nutrients into yield producing tissues, such as grains, fruits, or tubers. Once we’ve identified a bottleneck, we design novel biochemical signalling molecules that are able to relieve this bottleneck and that are compatible with existing farming practices. For our first AI, we achieve delivery through co-application with other inputs, using a foliar spray.
Bioactive plant molecules are often complex, featuring multiple functional groups and stereocenters, that determine their binding affinity to biological targets. Many of these molecules are chiral, meaning their biological activity can be specific to just one enantiomer. This complexity demands precise control over chemical reactions and meticulous optimization of synthesis steps. As we progress from lab to industrial production, ensuring selectivity and maximizing the yield of reactions is crucial.
The First Product in Our Pipeline
Our first AI is a modified version of trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), a natural sugar that inhibits SnRK1, an enzyme that regulates sucrose use and allocation in plants. When SnRK1 is abundant and active, it signals a state of “famine” to the plant, slowing down growth, development, and grain filling. Conversely, when SnRK1 is inhibited, it signals a state of “feast,” directing sucrose towards growth, stress recovery, and grain filling. By inhibiting SnRK1, T6P effectively puts the plant into “feast” mode.
In its natural form, T6P is a polar molecule, making it difficult for plants to absorb it effectively. To overcome this hurdle, we use a proprietary version of T6P with a small chemical modification or “cage” that changes the molecule’s polarity, allowing for effective absorption. Once inside the plant cells, sunlight breaks down the cage, releasing biologically active T6P. Our first product targeting wheat has demonstrated that a single application during early grain filling can boost yields by up to 22%.
Do You Share Our Vision? Join Us!
This innovative approach, with the potential to revolutionize the biostimulants sector, was developed by plant biologists led by Dr. Matthew Paul from Rothamsted Research and organic chemists led by Prof. Ben Davis from Oxford University. They are the co-founders of our venture, alongside Dr. Cara Griffiths, our CTO. Their technology, based on 25 years of cutting-edge science, is protected by a robust portfolio of patents covering key agricultural markets worldwide. As their spin-out venture, SugaROx holds exclusive global rights to the portfolio.
We’re on a mission to make SugaROx a world leader in the discovery of new molecules for crop stimulation and early-stage product development. Using a B2B business model, we plan to partner with go-to-market channels that understand farmers’ practices and needs, developing solutions tailored to specific agricultural markets. If you see a fit, contact our Business Development Director Bianca Forte to start a conversation. If you’d simply like to stay updated on our progress, follow us on LinkedIn – we have more big news coming out soon.