Through this partnership, Exacta will use Ginkgo’s fermentation and formulation optimisation services to reduce the cost of goods to make its FitoRoot technology more competitive
Exacta Bioscience, a biotech company and Ginkgo Bioworks, which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity announced that Exacta is leveraging Ginkgo’s end-to-end agricultural R&D services to run a fermentation optimisation and scale-up program to enhance one of its crop protection products, FitoRoot, paving the way for large-scale commercialisation.
FitoRoot, a biostimulant product composed of three Bacillus strains, is designed to help crops better absorb water and nutrients and strengthen their defences against abiotic stress. This can lead to overall better crop health, improved yield and increased resistance to stress conditions such as drought or extreme temperatures. Through this partnership, Exacta will use Ginkgo’s fermentation and formulation optimisation services to reduce the cost of goods to make its FitoRoot technology more competitive. Accordingly, FitoRoot is currently marketed in Chile and is expected to expand to other Latin American markets, with a planned launch in 2023 by Adama Chile, which is driving biological adoption in the region. Adama Ltd. is one of the world’s leading crop protection companies.
“We chose Ginkgo because their deep expertise in agricultural product development and optimisation positions us to make one of our key crop protection products, FitoRoot, more accessible,” said José Bustos, CEO at Exacta Bioscience. “We’re proud of the progress Exacta has made, and this partnership marks a vital step toward accelerating our efforts to assure the quality and availability of one of our products and creating a stable and safer ecosystem.”
“Exacta Bioscience’s emphasis on microbial solutions in crop health brings more sustainable and differentiated solutions to farmers throughout the Americas,” said Magalie Guilhabert, Head of Ag Biologicals, Ginkgo Bioworks. “Together, we can continue to push the boundaries of agricultural innovation through biotechnological solutions that promote a more sustainable future for our food systems.”
