Research cooperation and relocation of Plant Impact

Rothamsted Research and Plant Impact announce their intent to cooperate on agricultural technology and arable crop projects related to plant nutrition and the amelioration of the effects of environmental stress on crop quality and yield.  In addition, on 1 September 2012, Plant Impact will relocate its head office from Preston, Lancashire to the newly announced Green Enterprise Science Park at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

In May 2012, Rothamsted Research formally announced its 20:20 Wheat® initiative, a research programme aimed at providing technology and tools to enhance UK wheat yield potential to 20 tonnes of wheat per hectare within the next 20 years.  Plant Impact will collaborate with Rothamsted’s wheat programs by directing a portion of its own specialty nutrient and anti-stress technology research into wheat and other arable crops. Working with the Institute, the Company hopes to bring commercial and practical insight to the Institute’s programs and, where possible, to assist in deploying technology discoveries to growers around the world.

Through its relocation to the Green Enterprise Science Park at Rothamsted, the Company expects to benefit from cooperation with the Institute’s world-class scientists as well as from shared access to the campus’ wealth of advanced scientific equipment, glasshouse facilities and on-site research farm. The Company expects this co-location to greatly increase its R&D capacity, resulting in accelerated product innovation and greater tools for arable crop growers in their push for sustainable yield enhancement.

John Brubaker, Chief Executive Officer of Plant Impact, commented; ‘This is an extraordinary opportunity for an emerging R&D-focused company like ours to work with some of the best crop scientists in the world.  Collaboration with the Institute’s visionary wheat projects is a valuable and motivating recognition that Plant Impact’s products will be relevant to growers of the world’s most important food crop.  A move to the Rothamsted campus creates a step-change improvement in our R&D capacity and in our ability to recruit new members of the Plant Impact team.’

Dr. Maurice Moloney, Director and Chief Executive of Rothamsted Research, added; ‘Achieving the crop technology breakthroughs essential for feeding a richer and more populous world requires not only leading science but an appreciation of how that science can be applied by growers to secure sustainable on-farm benefits.  I have high expectations from having Plant Impact and other emerging technology companies on site here at Rothamsted.  We aim to host a select group of like-minded small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which will, together with our team of basic researchers, create a thriving Green Enterprise Science Park here on our main campus.’