Heritable Agriculture has teamed up with Japanese food giant Kagome on a research programme aimed at finding genes that could help protect tomatoes against a major disease threat and introducing that resistance into commercial varieties.
The collaboration, which for now is exclusively focused on tomatoes, will combine Kagome’s germplasm, breeding expertise and research data with Heritable’s AI-powered genomic analysis technology.
The specific objective is to identify genes associated with both disease resistance and susceptibility, before using promising resistance genes in Kagome’s breeding programmes.
“The main question that we want to answer is: can we use biodiversity to mine for resistance genes and can they be used in Kagome breeding programs to fight pathogens in fields?” a Heritable spokesperson told AgNavigator.
“The specific goal is to find genes that are important for disease resistance and susceptibility and use them in Kagome’s breeding program to develop new resilient varieties.”
Success, the spokesperson added, would mean using the identified genes to introgress resistance into several different Kagome cultivars.
Target pathogen remains under wraps
The companies are not disclosing the first pathogen they intend to tackle.
“Unfortunately we cannot disclose this. It is a major pathogen threatening the tomato industry,” Heritable told AgNavigator.
Nor would the company put a precise figure on the potential crop losses associated with the disease, although it said “there is a risk that the potential loss could be very substantial”.
The project reflects a wider concern that changing climatic and growing conditions are increasing disease pressure on crops, while breeders face the challenge of combining stronger disease resistance with yield, productivity and crop quality.
Traditional breeding can take significant time and resources to locate useful genes and identify promising breeding material. Heritable believes AI can speed up that discovery process.
Mining biological data for useful genes
Heritable’s proprietary platform integrates biological datasets including DNA, RNA and phenotypic information, using AI to search large datasets for candidate genes associated with valuable agricultural traits.
Beginning in 2026, Heritable will apply that capability to Kagome’s genetic resources and research data to investigate the genetic basis of disease resistance.
The ambition is not simply to produce a list of genetic associations, but to translate the discoveries into Kagome’s practical breeding pipeline.
“Crop losses caused by diseases and pests remain one of the most significant challenges facing agriculture today,” said Brad Zamft, CEO of Heritable Agriculture.
“By combining Heritable’s AI capabilities with Kagome’s world-class breeding expertise, we believe we can help address longstanding challenges in vegetable production.”
He described the project as an opportunity to demonstrate the ability of Heritable’s technology to accelerate development of more resilient crops.
Hiroyuki Ueda, Executive Officer and Head of Global Agri Research and Business Center at Kagome, said addressing crop diseases would require new technological approaches.
“By combining Heritable’s advanced AI platform with Kagome’s breeding expertise, we aim to create innovative solutions that deliver value to growers, consumers, and the broader food system,” he said.
From investment to R&D partnership
The collaboration follows an investment in Heritable in 2025 by the Sunrise Fund, Kagome’s corporate venture capital vehicle operated with SVG Ventures through Kagome’s US subsidiary GARBiC USA.
The relationship has since moved beyond investment. Over the past year, Heritable researchers have visited Kagome’s research facilities to learn more about its breeding operations, while Kagome R&D staff have travelled to Heritable’s California headquarters to exchange knowledge on AI, research methods and innovation.
The tomato project is intended to be the first phase of a broader strategic relationship. Kagome and Heritable said they plan to explore further opportunities to apply the approach to crop improvement and breeding in other agricultural applications.
