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Des plants de riz verts luxuriants aux grains dorés sous un ciel bleu vif.

Chinese Researchers Use Prime Editing to Adjust Rice Amylose Content

Chinese researchers have successfully reduced the amylose content in rice by modifying the promoter of the Wx gene, which could enhance texture and cooking quality. This innovative approach allows for the creation of new versions of existing genes, providing breeders with more options to optimize rice quality without altering its agronomic characteristics. Preliminary results show significant improvements in the consistency and viscosity of the modified rice, although human sensory evaluations are still needed.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Scientists fine-tune rice texture using prime editing" - 6 October 2026

Vylor: A New Era for Plant Genetics with Its NYSE Listing

Following its separation from Corteva, Vylor, now listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is committed to innovating in the seed sector with twelve launches planned over the next decade. These initiatives aim to enhance yields and resilience in corn, soybean, and wheat crops. The company is leveraging advanced technologies to address contemporary agricultural challenges.

Source: Wikiagri, published under the title "Vylor finalise sa séparation de Corteva et débute sa cotatio..." - 6 October 2026

Prise de vue macro d'une gueule de bois rouge perchée sur une feuille verte fraîche.

Lipid Droplets: A Key Role in the Fight Against Plant Viruses

A recent study by INRAE highlights the importance of lipid droplets in plants' response to viral infections, suggesting potential applications for biocontrol and crop health. This advancement could transform our approach to plant diseases by integrating strategies based on the cellular biology of plants.

Source: Inrae, published under the title "Les gouttelettes lipidiques, alliées insoupçonnées d'un viru..." - 6 October 2026

Vitropic: 40 Years of Innovation Supporting Tropical Agriculture

As the first subsidiary established by CIRAD, Vitropic celebrates its 40th anniversary. The company currently produces 7 million vitroplants annually, with 60% being dessert bananas, and exports 95% of its output. It is collaborating with CIRAD on new varietal development projects, particularly focusing on banana resistance to Fusarium TR4 and Cercospora, as well as their adaptation to climate change. Based in Hérault, Vitropic is also expanding its operations in Africa with a subsidiary established in Côte d'Ivoire in partnership with Compagnie fruitière.

Source: Cirad, published under the title "Vitropic, filiale du CIRAD, célèbre 40 ans d’innovation végé..." - 3 October 2026

Un champ de tournesols flétris sous un ciel crépusculaire, capturant l'essence de la fin de l'automne.

A Promising Future for Drought-Resistant Sunflowers

The HelEx project aims to develop sunflower varieties suited to changing climatic conditions in Europe by combining traditional breeding and genomic editing. These new varieties, which enhance crop resilience to drought, could reduce dependence on imported oils and meet the growing demand for plant-based proteins. The first harvests are expected by 2028, with potential benefits for farmers and the ecosystem.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "A bright future for drought-resistant sunflowers" - 1 October 2026

Strategic Partnership for Heat-Tolerant Strawberries

French start-up Plantik Biosciences and Dutch company Hudson River Biotechnology have teamed up to develop strawberries that are more tolerant to high temperatures. Their approach combines artificial intelligence and genomic editing without introducing foreign DNA. The goal is to provide breeders with a heat tolerance trait that is available under license, alleviating the burden of development costs and risks. Validation trials are already underway.

Source: Agfundernews, published under the title "Exclusive: Plantik and Hudson River Biotechnology team up to..." - 29 September 2026

Lilac Agriculture Raises $2.3 Million to Enhance Legume Rhizobium Inoculants

American biotech company Lilac Agriculture has raised $2.3 million to develop a new generation of rhizobium-based inoculants for legumes. Originating from research at North Dakota State University, its platform selects and adapts strains to improve both their nitrogen-fixing capacity and their ability to colonize nodules against naturally occurring soil bacteria. Its first product, PL11, aimed at peas and lentils, is already being marketed on a small scale in the United States, while the company prepares to enter the Canadian market.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Lilac Agriculture closes oversubscribed $2.3 million Series ..." - 23 September 2026

Gros plan d'un champ de riz verdoyant avec une récolte mûrissante mettant en valeur la croissance dans un cadre rural.

Genetically Enhanced Rice Lines Show Up to 82% Yield Gains Under Drought Conditions

Indian researchers have combined four genetic regions associated with drought tolerance in new rice lines, without resorting to transgenesis or genome editing. Five lines recorded significant yield gains under water stress, reaching up to 82% compared to the parent variety.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Gene-stacked rice lines show up to 82% yield gain under drou..." - 22 September 2026

Portrait d'un scientifique travaillant dans un laboratoire de culture verticale en intérieur axé sur l'agriculture durable.

Spearhead Bio Raises $1.62 Million to Revolutionize Agricultural Genomic Engineering

American startup Spearhead Bio, spun out from the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, has raised $1.62 million to accelerate the development of TAHITI, its genomic editing technology that complements CRISPR for inserting or replacing large DNA sequences in crops.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "St. Louis agtech startup Spearhead Bio raises $1.62M to brin..." - 22 September 2026

Biographica and Hudson River: A Partnership for Crop Genome Editing

British startup Biographica partners with Hudson River Biotechnology to revolutionize crop trait development through genome editing. By combining their expertise, they aim to tackle the challenges of identifying genetic targets and provide innovative solutions for crops like tomatoes, while also exploring advanced editing approaches to enhance disease resistance and crop quality.

Source: Agfundernews, published under the title "‘Bring us your difficult trait problems’: Biographica, Hudso..." - 22 September 2026

Arbre à citrons vibrant avec des fruits mûrs et des feuilles vertes riches, capturé en plein air à Redlands, CA.

Genetically Modified Trees to Save Florida's Citrus Industry

In response to the threat of greening disease, Florida farmers are adopting CRISPR-modified trees. The company Soilcea hopes its rootstock, CarriCea T1, will restore citrus production, which has been severely impacted since the disease's arrival in 2005. Initial results are promising, but true evaluation will occur over the long term with fruit harvests.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Could trees developed with gene-editing technology protect F..." - 22 September 2026

Gros plan sur un épi de maïs jaune mûr dans un champ de maïs luxuriant à Werlte, en Allemagne.

Vylor and Rainbow Crops Partner to Innovate in Genetically Modified Corn

Vylor, an advanced seed company, and Rainbow Crops, a Belgian spin-off, have announced a collaboration to develop innovative corn traits using artificial intelligence and multiplex genome editing. This initiative aims to create hybrids that are more resilient to climate variability, while operating within a European legislative framework that is favorable to genetic editing. Corteva's investment in Rainbow Crops further strengthens this innovation dynamic in the agricultural sector.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Vylor and Rainbow Crops partner to accelerate development of..." - 22 September 2026

Gros plan détaillé de grains de riz non cuits, parfait pour la photographie alimentaire et des grains.

AI Platform for Integrative Analysis of Rice Grains and Crop Improvement

Rice, a global staple food, requires more efficient phenotyping methods. A new cloud-based platform integrating AI enables automatic analysis of grain traits, facilitating genetic research and variety improvement. With advanced algorithms, this approach overcomes the limitations of traditional methods, offering scalable solutions for agronomy researchers.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "From phenome to genome: A cloud-based AI platform for integr..." - 16 September 2026

Polyfly Leverages Hoverflies for Crop Pollination Solutions

The Spanish company Polyfly is positioning itself in the pollination market by offering hoverflies as alternatives to bees and bumblebees. With recognized innovations and an expansion project, it aims to meet the specific needs of producers, particularly in seed production, while preparing to enter the field pollination market.

Source: Wikiagri, published under the title "Des syrphes pollinisateurs" - 16 September 2026

US Precedent Revives Patent Debate in Europe Over New Genetic Techniques

As Europe has just adopted its new framework on new genetic techniques (NGTs), Inf’OGM has unearthed a report published in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding competition in the seed sector. The document already highlighted the tensions between intellectual property, innovation, competition, and access to seeds.

Source: Info Ogm, published under the title "NTG et brevets : l’UE a choisi d’ignorer le précédent étasun..." - 16 September 2026

Blocs de bois portant l'inscription « PODCAST » sur un fond neutre, symbolisant la création de contenu audio.

Podcast Episode from September 15, 2026: Innovations in Agritech

In this episode, we explore the latest advancements in agritech, including applications of vertical farming technologies and genomic editing. We also discuss the impacts of new regulations on the industrialization of startups and trends in the biofuels market. Experts share their visions on the future of plant-based proteins and bioproducts in the agri-food sector, while addressing challenges related to soil health and the automation of agricultural equipment.

Source: La France Agricole, published under the title "Le podcast du 15 septembre 2026" - 16 September 2026

Vylor Enters a New Era with $19 Billion Pipeline and Ambitious Goals

On its first Investor Day, Vylor unveiled a financial framework for 2027-2029, featuring a technology pipeline valued at $19 billion and a return to profitability in its licensing business. The company, which will separate from Corteva in 2026, anticipates a net revenue of $10.4 billion and an operating EBITDA of $3.3 to $3.7 billion by 2029, while launching several new technology platforms in the seed sector.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Vylor Unveiled: $19 Billion Pipeline, Net Licensing Turns Po..." - 16 September 2026

Gros plan d'une abeille butinant du pollen sur des fleurs blanches de printemps.

UK: AI Aims to Make Pollination Measurable and Manageable

The Scottish research institute James Hutton Institute has partnered with British agritech company AgriSound to make the pollination of fruit crops measurable and manageable. The project combines bioacoustic sensors and artificial intelligence to monitor pollinator activity and better understand its impact on yields, with the ambition of also guiding the selection of new varieties.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "The James Hutton Institute joins precision pollination proje..." - 15 September 2026

Culta: A Japanese Agritech Startup Aims for International Expansion with Premium Fruits

The Japanese startup Culta accelerates traditional varietal selection using AI and controlled environments, without genomic editing or GMOs. It claims to have reduced the development time for new strawberry varieties from ten years to two and is now preparing for international expansion, as well as entering the grape and apple markets.

Source: Agfundernews, published under the title "Can Culta take Japan’s premium fruit model global?" - 15 September 2026

Vue imprenable sur le drapeau suisse au bord du lac des Quatre-Cantons sous un ciel dégagé, avec les montagnes en arrière-plan.

Switzerland Enhances Patent Transparency in Plant Breeding

The revision of patent law in Switzerland imposes a disclosure requirement for patented characteristics of plant varieties, thereby providing greater certainty to breeders in the development of new varieties. This measure, adopted by the Federal Council, aims to stimulate innovation by clarifying intellectual property rights and facilitating access to the European market for Swiss breeders.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Switzerland – Greater legal certainty in plant breeding" - 11 September 2026