Switch Bioworks sets four priorities for biological nitrogen fixation

Switch Bioworks, a San Carlos, California, biotech company, led a commentary in Nature Biotechnology on biological nitrogen fixation for cereals. The paper, “The next frontier in nitrogen fixation,” was co-written with scientists from Oxford, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Federal University of Paraná and the John Innes Centre.

The authors say engineered bacteria can release ammonia for plants, but doing so can weaken the bacteria’s ability to grow, establish and compete on roots. They list four priorities: microbial communities that establish across soil types, genetic systems that separate microbial growth from nitrogen production, plant traits that support the bacteria, and standard tests that show nitrogen actually reaches crops.

Switch estimates that replacing 10% to 20% of conventional nitrogen could eliminate tens of millions of metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions a year. The company says it has USDA and EPA authorizations for its engineered microbial products, and approvals from Brazil’s CTNBio.

Biological products are a growing category. Corteva is turning Brazil into an export hub for its biologicals business as the company expands its pipeline.