AI-driven gene discovery and advanced breeding aim to reduce crop losses and chemical dependence

Resurrect Bio and Corteva have announced a joint development agreement to combat some of the most economically damaging diseases affecting corn production in the United States, leveraging cutting-edge biotechnology and artificial intelligence.

The collaboration follows Corteva’s recent Series A investment through its Catalyst platform and will utilize Resurrect Bio’s in planta rapid screening capabilities to identify and restore innate disease resistance genes that have been weakened or bypassed by evolving pathogens.

Unlike conventional breeding and gene-editing approaches that focus on enhancing or introducing traits, Resurrect Bio’s strategy targets the evolutionary “arms race” between plants and pathogens. Many crops already possess natural defense systems, but pathogens have developed mechanisms to suppress them. The company’s FloraFold AI platform models these molecular interactions to pinpoint breakdowns and “repair” plant immune responses.

“This agreement marks a pivotal step in bringing our technology closer to real-world application alongside an industry leader,” said Dr. Cian Duggan, CEO and Co-Founder of Resurrect Bio. “By restoring ancestral resilience in crops, we aim to provide farmers with durable, biological protection against persistent disease threats.”

The partnership will combine Resurrect Bio’s high-throughput trait development with Corteva’s extensive germplasm resources and field trial network to develop elite corn varieties capable of maintaining performance under high disease pressure while reducing reliance on chemical inputs.

“Integrating Resurrect Bio’s FloraFold AI with our Genlytix ecosystem opens new pathways for delivering innovative, sustainable solutions to farmers,” said Wendy Srnic, Vice President of Biotechnology at Corteva. “Our goal is to help farmers effectively mitigate disease risks now and in the future.”

Corn disease remains a major challenge for U.S. agriculture, with losses estimated at over 1.2 billion bushels in 2025 alone. The collaboration aims to address these vulnerabilities by accelerating the development of crops with built-in, resilient defense systems.

As climate change and shifting pathogen dynamics continue to pressure global food systems, the agreement highlights a broader push toward sustainable intensification—using advanced technologies to enhance productivity while minimizing environmental impact.

“Our platform allows us to visualize plant-pathogen interactions at an unprecedented level,” said Dr. Doko-Miles Thornburn, Lead Computational Biologist at Resurrect Bio. “Partnering with Corteva enables us to scale these insights and deliver next-generation crops with robust, native immunity.”