Innovations in plant genomics are helping breeders develop crops that thrive under extreme conditions. Genetic discoveries for heat tolerance, drought resistance and pest pressure are fast becoming essential for realizing real-world productivity gains.
Why is PlantArcBio’s genomics-driven trait discovery critical for developing resilient, high-performing crops?
PlantArcBio, an ag-biotech company, is advancing these breakthroughs with cutting-edge technologies for two major needs in modern agriculture: higher-performing crops and more sustainable pest control.
To support these goals, PlantArcBio developed proprietary high-throughput platforms, DIPTM and DIPPERTM, that discover and develop genes and gene elements that enhance positive traits in plants. The company focuses on translating these discoveries into partner-ready assets, licensing traits to seed companies. It also collaborates with crop protection companies to develop targeted RNAi-based biological pest-control solutions.
What differentiates PlantArcBio’s proprietary platforms in plant gene discovery and development?
“Our platforms uncover previously unknown genes directly in plants, enabling the development of desired traits and creating higher performing, more resilient crops,” says Limor Davidson Mund, VP business development of PlantArcBio.
Rather than relying on existing data or computational predictions, DIPTM analyzes millions of novel genes in living plants. This enables the discovery of new targets for developing higher-yield crops. By sourcing genes from their natural environments, where they have evolved under real stresses and interactions, and validating their performance directly in plants, DIPTM helps identify genes that genuinely influence essential traits. Once identified and validated, the gene for the desired trait is handed over to the partners for integration into their existing crops.
What real-world results demonstrate the performance impact of PlantArcBio’s gene discovery platforms?
Real-world scenarios where PlantArcBio’s genes have proven to be a game-changer are plenty. For instance, Rallis India, an agrochemical and seed company, and part of the Tata Group, added a single drought-resistance gene to their corn plant and saw yields increase by more than 500 percent under drought conditions. Even under normal circumstances, the yields were roughly 200 percent higher.
Building on the success of DIPTM, PlantArcBio developed the DIPPERTM platform for gene editing. Rather than focusing on gene deletion or “knockout”, the platform identifies precise gene edits that improve how a gene functions or is expressed, resulting in enhanced crop performance without introducing foreign DNA.
DIPPERTM discovers the optimal gene editing targets for increasing gene expression or improving gene function, enabling traits like disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, nutritional improvement, and enhanced climate resilience. Genome-editing technologies like CRISPR are then used to perform the actual change in the target crop.
Through DIPTM and DIPPERTM, PlantArcBio delivers a robust dual strategy for enhancing crop development. Partners can leverage either platform to pursue targeted improvements via novel genes or gene-edited enhancements with native gene optimization.
What approaches does PlantArcBio use to deliver sustainable, non-GMO pest control solutions?
PlantArcBio is also a pioneer in the development of tailored non-GMO biological solutions based on RNA interference (RNAi) for crop protection. RNAi targets a specific mRNA molecule in a pest and temporarily silences an essential gene, thus controlling the pest. Compared to chemical pesticides, RNAi-based solutions have a quick development-to-market timeline, are environmentally friendly and are fully degradable.
Partnerships with high-profile clients highlight the effectiveness of PlantArcBio's RNAi development. One such instance is its joint R&D effort with Tropical Melhoramento e Genética (TMG), Brazil’s leading cotton company. The initiative is aimed at discovering novel molecules and deploying innovative technologies for cotton boll weevil pest management.
Another key collaboration involves developing solutions with Gadot-Agro, a leading supplier of agro products in Israel, to tackle Red Palm Weevil infestation in palm trees. In this case, the RNAi is injected into the palm tree trunks either as preventive or curative treatment with very high successful rates.
PlantArcBio continues to explore strategic partnerships while navigating diverse regulatory requirements and upholding rigorous scientific standards. Together, these initiatives advance its mission to strengthen global food security and support farmers in meeting the rising demands of sustainable agriculture. This commitment has earned it the recognition of the Top Agriculture Gene Discovery and RNAi-based Technology in Latin America.
Why is PlantArcBio’s genomics-driven trait discovery critical for developing resilient, high-performing crops?
PlantArcBio, an ag-biotech company, is advancing these breakthroughs with cutting-edge technologies for two major needs in modern agriculture: higher-performing crops and more sustainable pest control.
To support these goals, PlantArcBio developed proprietary high-throughput platforms, DIPTM and DIPPERTM, that discover and develop genes and gene elements that enhance positive traits in plants. The company focuses on translating these discoveries into partner-ready assets, licensing traits to seed companies. It also collaborates with crop protection companies to develop targeted RNAi-based biological pest-control solutions.
What differentiates PlantArcBio’s proprietary platforms in plant gene discovery and development?
“Our platforms uncover previously unknown genes directly in plants, enabling the development of desired traits and creating higher performing, more resilient crops,” says Limor Davidson Mund, VP business development of PlantArcBio.
Rather than relying on existing data or computational predictions, DIPTM analyzes millions of novel genes in living plants. This enables the discovery of new targets for developing higher-yield crops. By sourcing genes from their natural environments, where they have evolved under real stresses and interactions, and validating their performance directly in plants, DIPTM helps identify genes that genuinely influence essential traits. Once identified and validated, the gene for the desired trait is handed over to the partners for integration into their existing crops.
What real-world results demonstrate the performance impact of PlantArcBio’s gene discovery platforms?
Real-world scenarios where PlantArcBio’s genes have proven to be a game-changer are plenty. For instance, Rallis India, an agrochemical and seed company, and part of the Tata Group, added a single drought-resistance gene to their corn plant and saw yields increase by more than 500 percent under drought conditions. Even under normal circumstances, the yields were roughly 200 percent higher.
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Our platforms uncover previously unknown genes directly in plants, enabling the development of desired traits and creating higher performing, more resilient crops.
Building on the success of DIPTM, PlantArcBio developed the DIPPERTM platform for gene editing. Rather than focusing on gene deletion or “knockout”, the platform identifies precise gene edits that improve how a gene functions or is expressed, resulting in enhanced crop performance without introducing foreign DNA.
DIPPERTM discovers the optimal gene editing targets for increasing gene expression or improving gene function, enabling traits like disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, nutritional improvement, and enhanced climate resilience. Genome-editing technologies like CRISPR are then used to perform the actual change in the target crop.
Through DIPTM and DIPPERTM, PlantArcBio delivers a robust dual strategy for enhancing crop development. Partners can leverage either platform to pursue targeted improvements via novel genes or gene-edited enhancements with native gene optimization.
What approaches does PlantArcBio use to deliver sustainable, non-GMO pest control solutions?
PlantArcBio is also a pioneer in the development of tailored non-GMO biological solutions based on RNA interference (RNAi) for crop protection. RNAi targets a specific mRNA molecule in a pest and temporarily silences an essential gene, thus controlling the pest. Compared to chemical pesticides, RNAi-based solutions have a quick development-to-market timeline, are environmentally friendly and are fully degradable.
Partnerships with high-profile clients highlight the effectiveness of PlantArcBio's RNAi development. One such instance is its joint R&D effort with Tropical Melhoramento e Genética (TMG), Brazil’s leading cotton company. The initiative is aimed at discovering novel molecules and deploying innovative technologies for cotton boll weevil pest management.
Another key collaboration involves developing solutions with Gadot-Agro, a leading supplier of agro products in Israel, to tackle Red Palm Weevil infestation in palm trees. In this case, the RNAi is injected into the palm tree trunks either as preventive or curative treatment with very high successful rates.
PlantArcBio continues to explore strategic partnerships while navigating diverse regulatory requirements and upholding rigorous scientific standards. Together, these initiatives advance its mission to strengthen global food security and support farmers in meeting the rising demands of sustainable agriculture. This commitment has earned it the recognition of the Top Agriculture Gene Discovery and RNAi-based Technology in Latin America.
Advancing Crop Traits Through Gene Discovery and RNAi Innovation in Latin America
Across Latin America, agricultural producers and seed developers face a tightening intersection of pressures. Climate volatility continues to intensify drought and heat stress, pest resistance erodes the effectiveness of conventional crop protection, and residue regulations narrow the margin for chemical intervention. At the same time, regional markets demand yield gains that hold under stress without compromising performance in stable conditions. For executives responsible for technology acquisition, the challenge lies in identifying innovation pathways that deliver measurable biological impact while remaining adaptable to diverse regulatory environments and partner capabilities.
One persistent constraint in advanced trait development has been access. Gene discovery and optimization traditionally require deep genomic expertise, long development cycles and capital-intensive infrastructure. These barriers have limited participation to a narrow group of global players, leaving many regional and mid-sized seed companies dependent on incremental improvements rather than step-change traits. As stress tolerance and pest pressure escalate, that model shows strain.
A more effective approach begins earlier in the discovery process, not by refining known genes but by identifying previously unknown ones directly in plants. High-throughput in-plant screening enables the identification of native genetic functions that influence yield, drought tolerance, heat response or herbicide tolerance without relying on existing literature. The value of this approach lies in its ability to surface traits that nature already supports, then translate them into crops with fewer trade-offs. Yield stability under drought is particularly instructive, where many existing solutions sacrifice performance in normal conditions.
Flexibility in how traits are deployed also matters. In Latin America, regulatory frameworks vary widely between transgenic, gene-edited and biological solutions. Technology platforms that support multiple paths allow partners to align scientific ambition with market realities. Gene discovery that feeds into both transgenic development and precise gene editing enables the same underlying insight to be expressed through different regulatory routes. In parallel, RNA interference offers a non-GMO, biologically based option for pest control, addressing residue concerns while supporting sustainable production goals.
Execution discipline completes the picture. For technology adoption to scale, partners must be able to engage without building entire discovery teams from scratch. Models that separate discovery, transformation support and downstream breeding allow seed companies to focus on integration and commercialization, where their expertise already lies. Regulatory responsibility typically remains with the commercial partner, simplifying onboarding while preserving compliance. This division of roles has proven particularly relevant in emerging markets, where innovation appetite is high but internal R&D depth varies.
PlantArcBio reflects this integrated yet modular approach. Its gene discovery platform identifies novel genes directly in plants, uncovering functions linked to drought tolerance, yield improvement and herbicide response that had not been previously characterized. These discoveries are licensed to seed partners, who incorporate them into elite germplasm. Beyond transgenic applications, its gene optimization engine supports precise gene editing by identifying targeted modifications within a plant’s native DNA, enabling similar trait outcomes without introducing foreign genes.
Taken together, the strength of PlantArcBio lies not in a single product but in a coherent discovery-to-deployment framework that adapts to partner needs and regulatory realities. For executives evaluating advanced trait technologies in Latin America, this combination of novel gene discovery, optionality across development paths and partner-centric execution positions PlantArcBio as a compelling benchmark for next-generation agricultural innovation.
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