Agriculture
Nov. 21, 2024—Beginning in 2019, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) partnered with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri on a series of cohorts focused on sustainable agriculture technologies. For the 10th anniversary of IN2, the program is checking in on the participants of the first cohort of the agtech program.
Intrinsyx Bio is revolutionizing agriculture by harnessing the power of endophytes—beneficial bacteria that work for plants much like probiotics do for humans. Just as yogurt helps maintain gut health by adding probiotics, Intrinsyx’s technology introduces powerful microbes to crops, increasing mineral nutrition, harvest yield and enhancing sustainability.
“Plants depend on these microbes to thrive,” said Dr. John Freeman, chief science officer and cofounder of Intrinsyx Bio. “Normally, they absorb them from the surrounding soil and water, but we can provide superior strains—like those from fast-growing trees that survive on rocky terrain with no organic matter or soil. Overuse of fertilizers and pesticides has disrupted the natural soil and plant microbiome, but our endophytes help crops obtain nutrients and endure in challenging environmental conditions.”
In addition to helping crops grow, Intrinsyx Bio’s process sources nitrogen from the air and improves nitrogen availability from soil to plants, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Fertilizers not only generate greenhouse emissions but can also leach into ground and surface water as pollution.
“Our endophytes can reduce nitrogen requirements up to 20-25%,” Freeman said.
Field tests on winter wheat in England demonstrated impressive results, with yields increasing by an entire ton per hectare in the world’s most productive region.
“It’s above and beyond typical yields,” said Dr. Mariola Kopcinski, head of commercialization and business development for Intrinsyx Bio. “We are also seeing endophytes help crops become more resilient in extreme climates. Plants that have stronger internal endophyte support are better able to withstand, heat, drought, salt, cold or even flooding.”
Additionally, the endophytes are inside the crop plants’ vasculature and don’t linger in the soil or environment.
When Intrinsyx joined the IN2 program, it was eager to work with the Danforth Center, which provided a controlled environment to quantify the effectiveness of its endophytes.
Since completing its IN2 work at the Danforth Center, Intrinsyx Bio has expanded its reach, now selling products in northwestern Europe and has recently been given a global distribution agreement through Syngenta, an international distributor of biologicals. Currently, Intrinsyx Bio’s products focus on grains such as corn and wheat, but the company is also moving forward in other crops like canola, beans, and vegetables. They are also working together to focus on improving soil and plant health across all fields.
“We’re testing products in 20 countries and plan to launch more in the next couple of years,” Kopcinski said. “With a strong pipeline of new products, we are developing the next generation of endophyte solutions that are adaptive to climate challenges and offer enhanced crop production under limited nutrient availability.”
By blending innovative endophyte technology with sustainable practices, Intrinsyx Bio exemplifies how Agtech can address the pressing challenges of modern agriculture. Their ongoing advancements not only promise to increase crop yields, but also contribute to a more sustainable future for the Ag industry.
