Indigo Agriculture has launched ENAI, an independent company focused exclusively on biological crop protection and plant performance products.

ENAI will develop biological products intended to help farmers manage crop threats, improve plant performance and make better use of their existing crop-management programs. The company said its products are designed to complement conventional crop inputs and fit into established farming practices.

The new company builds on Indigo’s existing biologicals business and research base. ENAI has access to more than 38,000 microbial strains, including what it describes as one of agriculture’s largest collections of beneficial endophytes. Its technology portfolio has been evaluated in more than 7,500 field trials involving multiple crops, environments and production systems worldwide.

ENAI is built around endophytes – beneficial microbes that live inside plants. The company is developing microbes that can establish early in the crop and grow with it, rather than remaining only on the seed or plant surface. The approach is intended to support products targeting diseases, insects, nematodes and environmental stresses, as well as products aimed at plant vigour, nutrient efficiency and yield potential.

Ignacio Martinez, CEO of ENAI and general partner at Flagship Pioneering, said the company’s exclusive focus on biologicals is intended to speed development and expand collaboration throughout agriculture.

“Biologicals represent one of the most exciting frontiers in agriculture,” Martinez said. He added that ENAI can move faster by drawing on its microbial library and proprietary strains while developing closer partnerships across the agricultural value chain. The company aims to establish biologicals as another important tool for crop protection and performance while working alongside the products, varieties and farming practices growers already use.

ENAI also plans to use artificial intelligence to analyze its microbial and field-performance data and identify strains with potential for particular crops, threats and growing conditions. The company said this approach will help it prioritize the most promising candidates and build a pipeline of products for both commodity and specialty crops.

ENAI said its products have been used across 15 million acres on three continents. The company will continue serving farmers, seed companies, agricultural retailers and distribution partners worldwide as it expands its biologicals portfolio.

Products, marketing materials and digital channels will transition from Indigo to ENAI through a phased global rollout over the coming months. Indigo Carbon will remain under the Indigo Agriculture brand and continue providing its existing programs and services.