Bayer’s Crop Science division has partnered with the Cambridge-based plant science organization Niab to launch a series of groundbreaking research projects. These initiatives will focus on harnessing genetic diversity in wheat, controlling flowering in strawberries, exploring root symbiosis in wheat, and advancing phenotyping technology.
The five projects, which began this autumn, are funded through the Bayer-Niab Challenge Grant Program, according to a press release. This open innovation challenge was established to foster groundbreaking science in areas of mutual interest to both organizations. Bayer will offer £100,000 in financial support over the course of one year, along with mentorship and access to its top crop science researchers, who will guide the research as it unfolds.
“The Bayer – Niab Challenge Grant Program provides an exclusive opportunity for Niab scientists to receive funding for cutting edge ideas and connect with the Bayer team for their execution,” Dr. Phil Taylor, Director of Open Innovation and Outreach for Bayer’s Crop Science division said. “We are looking forward to advancing innovations together in what is an exciting time for plant science in the UK as it moves forward with detailed regulations for precision breeding in England.”
Two of the projects aim to advance understanding of the genetic diversity in wheat.
“We are using two different approaches to help us better understand and exploit genetic diversity in the D-genome, facilitating further genetic discovery and exploration of haplotypes linked to useful traits such as disease resistance,” Niab Director of Research Prof Xiangming Xu, who will coordinate the research programme, said.
A third wheat project will explore how the symbiosis between plant roots and specific soil microbes can enhance nutrient use efficiency and resilience to abiotic stress. It will also examine whether genomic data and root architecture can predict the potential of plant and mycorrhizal symbioses.
Niab’s expertise in horticultural genetics, based at its renowned center of excellence in East Malling, Kent, will be applied in a project focused on temperature-dependent flowering regulation in strawberries.
In 2023, Bayer acquired Niab’s Strawberry Breeding Programme, enabling its Crop Science division to offer premium genetics alongside innovative crop protection products and digital solutions to strawberry growers in the expanding protected strawberry market, with varieties also suited for open-field production.
The final project of the Bayer-Niab Challenge Grant Program will focus on developing tools to use multi-spectral images for phenotyping key plant traits, such as health and nutrient status, advancing the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in phenotyping for both research and commercial agriculture.
“With this funding we have been able to set up projects focused on basic research or development of new tools across a range of crop science areas. This is an exciting opportunity to work with Bayer to verify new ideas and take them forward,” said Xu.
