Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. (BVT) has entered into an R&D agreement with Syensqo to develop its proprietary biological control agent Clonostachys rosea strain CR-7 (CR-7) into a seed treatment formulation for the multi-billion dollar soybean market.

Syensqo, a newly formed €8 billion company, is a science and innovation pioneer in specialty chemicals and materials. Syensqo was formed following the spinoff of Solvay’s specialty materials and chemicals businesses into an independent, publicly-traded company at the end of 2023.

“Collaborating with Syensqo is a huge extension of our R&D efforts,” said Ashish Malik, CEO of BVT. “Their large team of formulation chemists and microbiologists will enable us to get to market with a strong seed treatment formulation much faster.”

Malik continued: “Fast-tracking BVT into soybean crops through the well-established seed coating market will expand the company’s addressable market beyond bee vectoring, bringing CR-7 to more growers by tapping into approaches they are already familiar with. BVT’s go-to market strategy is to commercialize this new CR-7 seed treatment product for sale through large agriculture suppliers, partners and distributors.”

BVT’s CR-7 is a proven entity in improving soybean yield and quality. The company states that recent U.S. trials showed wherever CR-7 was applied, the results outperformed the base seed treatment 81 percent of the time. On average, a three-bushel yield per acre increase was reported with CR-7 added, which is about four percent higher than the base seed treatment. This is in addition to previous successful trials in 2021, which also showed CR-7 to be an effective treatment against sudden death syndrome (SDS), a huge challenge for soybean growers. In these trials, soybean seeds were treated with CR-7 along with other seed treatment products before planting.

“Syensqo has proven expertise and proprietary IP on the formulation of seed treatments,” said Dr. Mason Newark, field technical manager at BVT. “They are experts with a deep understanding of the complex chemistry needed for effective seed treatment. Syensqo has already started working on the CR-7 formulation, and our goal is to next work together to test its performance through germination.”

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are 320 million acres of soybeans planted worldwide, with 86 million in the U.S., 98 million in Brazil and 40 million in Argentina. BVT estimates about 80 percent of the soybeans in the U.S. get a seed treatment before planting, including about 50 percent which also receive a biological inoculant treatment. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Value of Exports, Marketing Year 2022/2023 Final Report, in 2022, the U.S. exported 67.6 million metric tons of soybeans, soybean meal and soybean oil, adding US$39.8 billion to the economy.