PacBio and Corteva Agriscience‘s announced their collaboration on a workflow that will streamline DNA extraction through library preparation according to a release. This workflow will allow high throughput plant and microbial genome sequencing. The collaboration started after the announcement at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) agricultural meeting. This will allow Corteva to sequence thousands of samples every year as a part of their research and production programs.
“Through this collaboration with Corteva Agriscience, we can now support their efforts to offer healthier and more sustainable production of plants to farmers that feed the world,” said Christian Henry, president and chief executive officer of PacBio. “When we announced our new Revio sequencing system, we knew it would be revolutionary for the genomics industry. We’re thrilled to see it being used, along with our Nanobind products, to advance plant and microbial genetics.”
The collaboration’s starting phase included the development of scaled DNA extraction, shearing, and library preparation workflows. The workflows were engineered to be cost-effective and have ultra-high throughput long-read sequencing which will allow new opportunities for studying crop genetics.
“As the world’s population expands and a greater burden is placed on food production, new methods are vital to keep pace with agricultural demand,” said Greg May, Genomics Technologies director at Corteva Agriscience. “These end-to-end workflows, paired with the new long-read sequencing Revio system, will drive implementation of seed product development tools like CRISPR-Cas gene editing, and cutting-edge crop protection solutions.”
Scientists are looking for modern genomic technology to face sustainability challenges. Genomic data can be used to characterize genes of interest, enhance marker development and combat diseases and pests.
“Working with the world-class research and development organization at Corteva Agriscience has yielded high-quality, long-read sequencing data at scale for plant and microbial DNA,” said Jeff Eidel, chief commercial officer at PacBio. “These workflows represent the next logical step in agricultural genomics, and we are excited to continue building upon the success of this collaboration to further enhance our understanding of these complex organisms to grow better food.”
