Plants are essential to human survival, but the climate and biodiversity crisis means that 40% of all plants are facing extinction, and many of the food crops we rely on are struggling to adapt to the changing environment. Finding ways of helping crops become more resilient to extreme conditions will help us address the increasing threat to global food security.

Biotech startup, Fyteko, are using their pioneering research to help plants adapt to our changing environment. By learning how plants respond to abiotic stresses such as drought, erratic rain, flooding or heatwaves, they have developed biobased active ingredients which help boost plant resilience among the agricultural crops we rely on. This nature-inspired approach reduces the number of chemical inputs used to protect crops, which in turn llimits the broader impact on local ecosystem, at the same time as boosting productivity - with an average yield increase of around 14% across a range of crops.

By learning from nature, biotechnology can play a key role in enabling a green transition in agriculture, reducing yield loss in drought-prone regions and improving global food security.

With thanks to:

Guillaume Wegria, CEO & Co-Founder, Fyteko
Benedicte O’Sullivan, COO & Co-Founder, Fyteko
Claire Leclef, Plant Biologist, Fyteko
Clémence Duval, Head of Seed Technology, Technisem
Dr. Elinor Breman, Senior Research Leader. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew