Biotrop and Embrapa Soja form partnership for co-development of biosolutions

One of the leaders in the Brazilian biological agricultural input market, Biotrop has disclosed to AgroPages that it has signed an agreement with Embrapa Soja (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation). The joint project involves research and development of new biological product solutions for soybean pest control, based upon biotechnology and nanotechnology.

The project is currently in the bioinformatics analysis and 'in silico' validation phase, which applies computational technologies to analyze available data, model, and predicting substance activity. Further, computational algorithms are used to predict toxicity and conduct safety analyses (mathematical, chemical, and biological).

The next stages of the joint project between Biotrop and Embrapa Soja include the production of biomolecules at laboratory scale. From this stage, bioassays will begin to evaluate the percentage of biocontrol achieved.

"Our goal is to control specific challenging targets. The new technology, highly precise and selective, is biologically based and is being developed from natural mechanisms," noted Juliana Marcolino Gomes, Research and Innovation Manager at Biotrop.

According to  Gomes, this new technology involves altering the expression of key genes that are essential for pest development and survival, neutralizing the actions of those agents that negatively impact soybean crops.

Biotrop also informed AgroPages that the partnership combines "Embrapa's renowned knowledge of molecular biology and genetics, which is the foundation for developing solutions at the laboratory level, with Biotrop's deep knowledge of bioprocesses and formulations, necessary to scale up industrial production of this biotechnology, ensuring maximum field efficacy."

"As a leader in biological technologies, Biotrop innovates once again in this project with Embrapa Soja, which has the potential to transform the national and international agricultural landscape. The herbicides and insecticides resulting from the partnership will be highly selective and green, leaving no residues in the environment, while contributing to increased productivity," said Douglas Gomes, Research & Innovation Director at Biotrop.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)