Oerth Bio (pronounced “earth”), an agricultural biotechnology company pioneering targeted protein degraders in plants, and Yara International, a crop nutrition company, announced a collaboration applying Oerth’s novel protein degrader technology to crop efficiency applications.
The companies will co-develop novel products to improve nutrient use efficiency and strengthen plant resilience to climate change. By linking Yara’s agronomic expertise in crop physiology and crop nutrition to Oerth’s specialization in rational design of plant protein degraders, the collaboration will develop unique products to activate precision plant stress tolerance. Oerth’s Attune platform harnesses a naturally occurring protein recycling system that precisely tunes climate-adaptable crops.
According to Markus Himken, Yara senior vice president of agronomy and R&D, the company sees tremendous promise in the new technology. “This collaboration will catapult Yara’s competitive footprint, offering farmers plant nutrition solutions specifically targeting plant resilience and improved crop quality — setting a new sustainable agriculture paradigm.”
Adds John Dombrosky, CEO, Oerth Bio, “We believe PROTAC degrader technology is the sustainable answer to a safe, productive, resilient, and more nutritious food system. By partnering with agricultural leaders like Yara, we are poised to deliver tangible benefit to farmers, as they face fast emerging operational complexity and climate challenges.”
Photo: Yara and Oerth Bio R&D teams
Find out more about biocontrol and the science of biomes at New AG International's event 13-14 December, Biocontrol & Biomes, in Madrid, Spain, here.