‘A new day for Corteva,’ The ag giant’s split is official
Corteva relaunches with a tighter focus, and Vylor is a separate company officially
Biologicals
Start-up profile
‘Penicillin for soil’: Holganix plots next phase of regenerative agriculture growth
From a warehouse fire to a biologicals business targeting 2 billion acres, Pennsylvania-based Holganix believes soil probiotics, environmental markets and data can accelerate farmers’ transition to regenerative agriculture
Seizing Brazil’s biological opportunity: Switch Bioworks receives approval for nitrogen-fixing microbes
Brazil’s dependence on foreign fertilizer imports poses a food security challenge, but biologicals like those produced by Switch Bioworks is opening up new ways to give plants the nutrients that they need
Why biologicals’ next winners may not have the ‘best’ products
Biocontrols, biofertilisers and biopesticides have an opportunity to give growers more options as climate and input risks increase. But speakers at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit stressed that the next phase of the biologicals opportunity is less...
Improving nitrogen utilization: Redox Bio-Nutrients expands portfolio with foliar-applied RDX-Flex
Farmers wanting to better use nitrogen have another tool thanks to Redox’s launch of RDX-Flex
Syngenta claims ‘first new mode of action in biologicals in 20 years’ with microRNA breakthrough
EXORT technology uses naturally occurring plant microRNAs to fine-tune crop processes, with Syngenta claiming yield improvements of 5-10% in extensive field trials and a first commercial launch planned for Latin America in 2027
Rovensa Next bets on Brazil as global biosolutions race gathers pace
Spain-based Rovensa Next has secured R$45 million (US$8.8 million) in Brazilian government-backed financing to accelerate the development of agricultural biosolutions, further evidence of Brazil’s emergence as a major global test bed for biologicals
Patient capital, not quick returns: Crédit Mutuel’s recipe for farm transition
From subsidised 1% loans for new farmers to patient capital backing biosolutions, Crédit Mutuel says its cooperative structure gives it a unique ability to finance agriculture’s environmental transition
Bayer backs Robigo’s ‘engine, not product’ approach in crop protection funding round
Biotechnology start-up Robigo has secured Series A funding led by Bayer’s venture arm, Leaps by Bayer, as it seeks to commercialise engineered microbial biopesticides. For Bayer, the attraction lies less in a single product and more in a platform it...
Corteva is ‘not a one-trick pony,’ C-suite outlines strategy to grow crop protection business post-spin
Executives from Corteva’s crop protection business laid out its growth strategy following its split at an investor day, which includes leaning into research and development investments and tailored go-to-market approaches
Residue management: Mosaic releases Renuvis Enzara to help farmers prep fields
Residue management is an important first step in preparing for the planting season. Mosaic Biosciences is helping farmers manage crop residue with its bio-based Renuvis Enzara
BASF invests €15m in Climate Center to meet rising global regulatory demands
BASF Agricultural Solutions is investing €15 million in a new Climate Center at its Limburgerhof headquarters in Germany, strengthening its ability to generate scientifically robust regulatory data as crop protection approval requirements become more...
Investors should look beyond the farm gate to unlock agri-tech returns, says The First Thirty’s Antony Yousefian
Agri-tech’s investment challenge is not a lack of innovation but a lack of value capture, according to Antony Yousefian, general partner at early-stage venture firm The First Thirty
‘The crisis will come to an end,’ Mosaic reports $273m net loss in Q2 2026 amid fertilizer volatility
Mosaic released its second quarter 2026 earnings, reporting shrinking sales volumes across its fertilizer divisions, while the ag supplier’s biological business provided a small hedge against the volatility
Improving crop protection formulations: How Wacker’s adjuvants are helping developers
Discovering an active chemical or biological is just one piece of developing an effective crop protection product
Where does biological acceptance stand with U.S. row crop farmers?
U.S. farmers are increasingly aware of biologicals, with economic returns, soil health and proven agronomic performance driving purchases
New project aims to make biological crop inputs more predictable
Belgian biotech company Zymofix has secured €1.9 million in funding to investigate how microbial manufacturing processes influence product performance, as the industry seeks to overcome concerns about the consistency and reliability of biologicals in...
Syngenta bets on carbon income for farmers with Groundwork BioAg partnership
Syngenta has partnered with Groundwork BioAg to combine mycorrhizal biologicals with a soil carbon programme that aims to generate a new revenue stream for farmers. Under the model, growers could earn income from carbon credits while also benefiting from...
World Agri-Tech São Paulo 2026
Brazil fuels next stage of ag biological innovation – from microbes to peptides
Brazil provides an ideal environment for the research and development of biological-based crop inputs, influencing go-to-market strategies for start-ups and major ag suppliers
Rovensa Next joins €6.4m EU project to scale circular biofertilisers
Rovensa Next’s role in the Horizon Europe BIO² project comes amid growing industry confidence in next-generation biofertilisers and microbial solutions, particularly as part of more integrated and sustainable farming systems
From gut health to soil health: Why agriculture must learn from probiotics
Cybèle Agrocare’s Nina Vinot believes the future of farming lies in applying microbiome science from human health to the soil, but warns that gaps in data, investment and decontamination innovation could hold the sector back
How Brazil became the epicenter for biological innovation, investment for the ag industry
Biologicals are big business in Brazil, and investors are taking notice
BASF scales up biologicals with new BioHub to boost resilience and flexibility
Fermentation facility at Ludwigshafen underlines strategic shift towards biotech crop protection amid supply chain and regulatory pressures
Mosaic invests in SugaROx to back ‘precision biostimulants’ push
Oxford spinout tackles consistency challenge in biologicals as fertiliser giant doubles down on Biosciences strategy
Start-up profile
Nanomnia: Delivery science is becoming the deciding factor for next‑generation biologicals
As peptides, dsRNA and other fragile biological actives move closer to market, Italian nano‑biotech Nanomnia believes growth will increasingly come from developers who need delivery to be enabling, not incremental
Is the future of ag Brazilian? How the country provides fertile ground for farming innovation
SP Ventures’ Managing Partner discussed the power of Brazilian agricultural innovation and why the EU-Mercosur trade deal could provide tailwinds to the sector
Certis Belchim and Elicit Plant join forces to accelerate climate‑smart potato innovation
A new partnership between crop‑protection heavyweight Certis Belchim and agri‑biotech specialist Elicit Plant aims to fast‑track a next‑generation bio‑solution designed to help potato growers withstand intensifying climate pressures
Nematode protection: PI AgSciences receives EPA approval for biochemical, readies U.S. launch
PI AgSciences is expanding the availability of its biochemical for parasitic nematodes from Mexico and Brazil to the North American market
Ag movers & shakers for Jan. 2026: Saga Robotics, Groundwork BioAg, Phospholutions make appointments
Ag companies are making appointments to go after opportunities in robotics, carbon removal, crop inputs, and regenerative agriculture.
Improving soil health, peanut production with microbes: ProGro Bio launches Rhizol JumpStart, Phoenix
ProGro Bio’s product pipeline is humming, with the bio-inputs company launching two products ahead of the 2026 U.S. growing season
Ag movers & shakers for Dec. 2025: John Deere adds Cargill CEO to board, other people news
Ag companies from John Deere to Groundwork BioAg closed the year making major appointments, as they ready for growth in 2026
SynTech Research Steps up banana disease fight with tech-driven trials and biological solutions
As climate volatility and aggressive pathogens threaten global banana production, SynTech Research Group is investing in drone spraying, digital monitoring, and precision agriculture – while expanding its biologicals portfolio – to safeguard one of the...
Ag movers & shakers for Nov. 2025: Bayer, NatureSweet make CFO appointments
The November edition of AgNavigator’s Movers & Shakers column features personnel appointments from Bayer, NatureSweet, and Micropep Technologies
Syngenta bets on amoeba-powered biofungicide to fight Europe’s wheat diseases
The crop protection giant has partnered with French biotech Amoéba to bring a next-generation biological to EU and UK farmers – aiming to tackle septoria and yellow rust while easing resistance pressure and regulatory constraints
Rhizocore’s £4.5m funding fuels expansion of fungal tech for tree growth
Scottish biotech Rhizocore Technologies is using tailored fungal networks to boost tree survival and growth. With fresh funding, the company plans to scale production and expand into North America’s vast forestry market
EPA greenlights Biotalys’ EVOCA – but Europe still lags
As the US moves to approve the world’s first protein-based biofungicide, Biotalys’ flagship product remains in Europe’s regulatory pipeline. Is cautious oversight holding back innovation?
Biopesticides on the rise: Pamela Marrone maps the future of sustainable crop protection
New study outlines how biologicals are reshaping pest management; why Brazil is leading the charge, and what other markets can learn
Start-up profile
Rooted in change: Ostara’s phosphate breakthrough is catching big ag off guard
Despite phosphate fertilisers being a staple of global agriculture, their inefficiency and environmental toll have long gone unchallenged. US-based Ostara is rewriting the rules with a root-activated, water-insoluble alternative – but its rapid rise has...
Bolstering demand for biologicals: Alltech invests in growth strategy with $4.6m plant
Biological adoption continues to rise, with Alltech tapping into market demand in the U.S., Brazil, and other countries
Unlocking crop protection access could help revive Europe’s farming workforce
ECCA urges EU to remove barriers to post-patent plant protection products PPPs, arguing it will boost farm profitability, sustainability – and attract younger farmers
Treating soybean cyst nematode: Indigo Ag launches Biotrinsic Nemora FP
Indigo Ag expanded its Biotrinsic portfolio with Nemora FP and is leveraging its seed treatment device Clips to boost biological adoption
Biofungicide start-up Ascribe Bio closes $12m Series A round to support global rollout
Ascribe Bio is nearing regulatory approval for its biofungicide in Brazil and the U.S. and will use funds from a Series A round to support the launches
Biologicals aren’t just ‘the flavor of the month:’ Summit Agro taps into growing demand
Ag biologicals overpromised and under delivered in the past, but ag companies like Summit Agro are changing that dynamic by demonstrating the potential of biological chemistries to improve plant health and yields
EU biopesticide reform gains momentum as crop protection groups unite to demand fast-track regulation
Industry leaders express cautious optimism as the European Commission signals intent to overhaul crop protection rules, potentially unlocking faster access to biopesticides and post-patent products
What Corteva’s split means for the future of its seed, crop protection businesses?
Corteva joins a growing list of companies that believe going alone is better than sticking together
Listening, learning, and linking innovation to UK real-world needs
The UK Agri-Tech Centre aligns its efforts with the UK’s industrial strategy, focusing on four to five key areas where technology can address pressing agricultural challenges, explains its engagement director Helen Brooks
Improving nutrient efficiency: Loveland Products releases Extract XC for crop residue
Loveland Products’ microbial-based input Extract XC is providing farmers a way to store crop nutrients for next year’s season
Sustainable September
Lucent Bio readies Brazil expansion, following research paper release
Lucent Bio is continuing its commercialization push beyond Canada with the help of recent research, as the agtech company looks to close its Series A round by the end of the year
Moa Technology poised to crack bioherbicide conundrum after uncovering new weed control category
The UK company says it sees real potential in cracking the “super tough conundrum” of bioherbicides after announcing the discovery of chemistries that could form an entirely new category of crop protection product
Ag movers & shakers for August 2025: Ceradis, Groundwork BioAg, Switch Bioworks make executive appointments
Groundwork BioAg, Switch Bioworks, and Ceradis top the August 2025 edition of AgNavigator’s Ag Movers & Shakers column