Our Technology
Trait technology is a major reason for the increases in crop yields over the past two decades. Adoption of first-generation traits such as insect resistance and herbicide tolerance has been swift, with over 90% of corn, soybeans and cotton carrying these proven value drivers. Yet the pace of discovery for new trait modes-of-action has slowed considerably. Upstream Biotechnology is positioned to deliver the next generation of traits to enable growers with ever higher yields.
Engineering traits for crop resilience is critical for improving yields in the face of a changing environment. Upstream Biotechnology has unlocked an understanding of how the regulation of plant genes can be most optimally tuned to offer yield benefits. Many trait genes have been shown to perform well but show high variability in performance across environments. Upstream’s proprietary technology platform reduces turbulence in trait performance to support plant health throughout development resulting in top yields.
Technological Challenges
Uncontrolled trait expression leads to unintended off-target effects and sensitivities that limit plant performance. Upstreams platform smoothes out trait expression for robust and reliable performance.