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A joint intellectual property licensing agreement inked for foundational CRISPR-Cas9 and related gene editing tools to further research and develop Harpe Bioherbicide tolerant crop systems.

Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions, Inc., an agricultural technology company focused on providing natural and sustainable herbicide solutions, announced that it has executed a joint intellectual property licensing agreement with Corteva Agriscience and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard for foundational CRISPR-Cas9 and related gene editing tools to further research and develop Harpe Bioherbicide tolerant crop systems.

The company continues to advance its portfolio of natural, non-selective herbicide formulations to a commercial ready phase using a series of active ingredient compounds found in plant extracts. Proving the possibilities of crops tolerant to Harpe Bioherbicide applications with CRISPR-Cas9 technology will help meet farmers’ need for expanded and differentiated weed control solutions while also further expanding the commercial opportunity of the technology.

Featuring new sites and modes of action, Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions will not only take a lead role in the bioherbicide market for new products, but developed products also will also be impacted, improving the greater industry of conventional herbicides.

Working both as pre-emergent weed prevention and post-emergent weed control, Harpe Bioherbicide products can be used alone or in combination with synthetic chemical herbicides to effectively eliminate resistant and tough-to-kill weeds. This allows for less harm to the soil and surrounding environment while increasing crop yields safely.

“We’re excited to add CRISPR-Cas9 technology to our platform of tools aimed at providing more sustainable herbicide use for the industry,” said Chad Brommer, PhD, Chief Technology Officer Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions. “These pioneering tools will in the future help enable in-season use of Harpe’s new bioherbicide formulations to help mitigate increasing weed resistance challenges while advancing sustainable practices in global food production.”

Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions is collaborating with Saint Louis based Solis Agrosciences (https://solisagrosciences.com) to accelerate the development of Harpe’s herbicide tolerant crop systems. Solis provides cutting edge R&D services and an end-to-end pipeline that designs, generates and tests transgenic and gene edited plants speedily and cost-effectively.

A joint intellectual property licensing agreement inked

Company launches, PheNode® the next-generation environmental sensor platform to enable the swift integration of emerging technologies across various climate-smart industries, such as real-time carbon measurements and advanced crop modelling.

Agrela Ecosystems, a startup launched by Nadia Shakoor, PhD, principal investigator, at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced the pilot launch of its flagship product, PheNode®. This milestone marks the first step towards a full-scale commercial release set for 2025. PheNode is an advanced, scalable environmental sensor platform designed to empower users with customizable data collection and the rapid integration of new technologies. Already creating a buzz, the platform is now collecting data and generating customer feedback, preparing to revolutionize the field with its optimized, modular sensor technology.

 In aligning with the principles of Industry 4.0, often referred to as the fourth industrial revolution characterized by smart systems and digitization, PheNode incorporates cutting-edge technology to redefine data collection standards, opening endless opportunities for advancement in various sectors.

PheNode has already gathered an impressive range of customers, from the Taylor Geospatial Institute at Saint Louis University to the globally respected Salk Institute’s Harnessing Plants Initiative in San Diego, CA. Back at home, the Danforth Center is deploying PheNode technology within its own realm, collecting vital data from its Creve Coeur campus and St. Charles-based field research site. The momentum doesn’t stop there; PheNode is also set to play a pivotal role in community projects. In collaboration with the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center and the University of Illinois Extension, PheNode will be an integral part of the USDA NIFA-funded FANE Summer Camp initiative. This groundbreaking project seeks to ignite the passion of young minds towards food and agricultural technologies, underlining the transformative impact these advancements can have on our world.

Despite being in its nascent pilot phase, Agrela has already recorded an impressive $250,000 in revenue through the sales of its game changing PheNode technology and related services. This initial traction reinforces the belief that they could be addressing a long-standing gap in the market. Agrela Ecosystems’ founders envision a shift from traditional ‘closed’ sensor platforms to a more inclusive ‘open platform’. This open approach will enable the swift integration of emerging technologies across various climate-smart industries, such as real-time carbon measurements and advanced crop modeling.

Agrela Ecosystems’ initial seed funding was successfully garnered from BioGenerator Ventures and the Danforth Technology Company. Agrela’s President, Bill Kezele, celebrates this achievement, remarking, “The Danforth Technology Company and BioGenerator Ventures recognized the potential of PheNode, which served as a stepping stone to our early success. This support enables us to publicly share our efforts with those who can benefit now as we continue enhancing the system and expanding into new markets.”

“Agrela firmly believes in the importance of accurate, research-grade data, and is committed to offering quality products and services. Our aim is to embolden users, channelling PheNode’s environmental data into their chosen platforms for analysis and visualization. In doing so, we are enabling them to create tailor-made data collection tools that better align with their unique requirements,” elaborates Shakoor.

While originally designed to address quantitative gaps in remote field phenotyping, it has been discovered that PheNode effectively meets the growing demand for scalable, customizable data capture across a broad spectrum of industries, far beyond its initial agricultural roots.

Company launches, PheNode® the next-generation environmental sensor