From Lab to Field: BTI Research Leads to Development in Revolutionary Biofungicide, To Be Distributed by Nutrien

The Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), a leader in plant science research, is proud to announce that Ascribe Bioscience, a company founded on BTI technology, has partnered with Nutrien Ag Solutions to commercialize two crop protection products containing Ascribe’s flagship biofungicide, Phytalix®.

Phytalix was developed from discoveries made at BTI and represents a significant advance in biological crop protection. The product is based on natural molecules from the soil microbiome that prime immune responses in plants, enabling them to effectively combat a broad range of pathogens. A joint development and supply agreement between Ascribe and Nutrien provides for the launch of Phytalix blends under Nutrien’s Loveland Products brand for use on US row crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans. 

Four years of field trials have demonstrated that Phytalix can match or even surpass the efficacy of traditional synthetic fungicides. The product has shown effective control of major agricultural pathogens like Corn Leaf Blight, Asian Soybean Rust, and Fusarium Head Blight in wheat. The results are not just a boon for crop health but also for environmental sustainability, offering a path towards reduced reliance on synthetic chemicals in agriculture and providing a critically needed tool to combat the increasing resistance of pathogens to existing fungicides.