Switch Bioworks has entered a strategic collaboration with Bayer Crop Science to advance genetically engineered microbes designed to produce nitrogen fertilizer directly on plant roots, with the aim of developing biological products that deliver practical benefits to growers.

The collaboration will initially focus on nitrogen fixation, an area of research that has attracted significant investment as the agriculture industry seeks alternatives to conventional nitrogen fertilizers.

A key challenge has been balancing microbial establishment on plant roots with sufficient nitrogen production. Microbes engineered to produce nitrogen can struggle to establish on roots, while strains that establish reliably may not produce enough nitrogen to benefit crops.

California-based Switch Bioworks is developing a programmable biology platform designed to address this trade-off. Its genetically engineered microbes, originally developed at Stanford University, are programmed to establish on plant roots before activating nitrogen production.

In grow-room studies, the approach produced five times more nitrogen than control strains engineered to produce nitrogen continuously, according to the company. The results have not yet established performance under field conditions.

“Partnering with Bayer is a testament to the potential of our platform, and this collaboration marks a pivotal milestone for our company,” said Dr. Tim Schnabel, founder and CEO of Switch Bioworks.

Bayer will bring expertise in product development, formulation, field testing and commercialization, along with its knowledge of crop genetics, to complement Switch’s microbial engineering capabilities.

“Growers need more options to manage unpredictable conditions, protect crop potential and optimize their crop nutrition programs,” said Benoit Hartmann, insights, innovation and partnerships lead at Bayer Crop Science.

Hartmann said biological products could help address these needs while supporting more resilient food systems. He added that Bayer works with innovators such as Switch to combine their technical expertise with the company’s capabilities to accelerate the development of new agricultural solutions.

Switch has received U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency authorization for field trials of its engineered microbial fertilizer. Trials are underway at multiple sites across the U.S. Midwest. The company has also secured approvals from Brazil’s National Technical Biosafety Commission (CTNBio).

The collaboration comes as biological nitrogen technologies continue to be developed as potential tools for crop nutrition. Further field testing will be important to determine whether Switch’s approach can deliver consistent nitrogen production and agronomic benefits under commercial growing conditions.