Nitrogen-Fixing Microbes: The Next Generation
To truly deliver on their promise, nitrogen-fixing microbes need to up their game, says Ginkgo ag bio head, Michael Miile.
Engineering soil microbes to fix atmospheric nitrogen and reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers in cereal crops is a hot space in ag biologicals. The first wave of products, from companies like Corteva and Pivot Bio, have been on the market for three or four years.
But to truly deliver on their promise, nitrogen-fixing bugs need to up their game
According to Miile, there are key technical challenges facing all players in this space if they want to have a transformative impact. Miile, who became CEO of Bayer/Ginkgo Bioworks-led joint venture Joyn Bio in 2017, now heads up Ginkgo’s ag bio team.
In 2022, Ginkgo absorbed Joyn Bio after taking over Bayer’s R&D function for biologicals and its West Sacramento, California lab. This move allowed Bayer to focus on commercializing products emerging from the partnership, which has just been renewed.
Author summary: Ginkgo and Bayer rewrite fertilizer rulebook.