PlantArcBio

PlantArcBio is an Israeli biotech company that uses gene editing and gene silencing with RNAi to improve crop traits for crop yield improvement, drought and climate resistance, and herbicide and insect tolerance. The company’s gene modifications are applied to soy, corn, canola, alfalfa, rice, cotton, and palm trees.

The company has three technologies which are 1)Direct In Plant (DIP) for gene discovery, 2) DIPPER for gene editing, and 3) the RNA Interference for gene silencing. The DIP process creates a large gene pool from desired traits, applies them using a high-throughput method, and selects the best-performing plants for gene transfer across multiple plant species. Collaborative trials resulted in corn ​​having a 60%–250% crop yield increase under drought conditions.

DIPPER uses a high-throughput platform, CRISPR, and other gene editing technologies to scan and test thousands of potential genetic enhancements within plants, identifying effective modifications needed to achieve optimal gene and crop performance. 

The RNAi targets specific genes of a pest or crop to achieve the preferred objective without affecting other organisms. PlantArcBio has achieved crop yield improvement in canola, soybean, and rice and biological pest control against the red palm weevil pest that affects palm trees and the cotton boll weevil pest.

Key customers and partnerships 

PlantArcBio partnered with Tropical Melhoramento e Genética (TMG) and Bioceres Crop Solutions in June 2021 to develop pest control against the cotton boll weevil for the former and drought resistance genes for alfalfa for Bioceres. The company partnered with Tel Aviv University (TAU) in March 2022 for a research project for RNAi-based biological solutions for agriculture.

In July 2022, it partnered with the ICL Group to develop enhanced crop yield traits using RNAi for canola, rice, and soybeans. The company also partnered with Rallis, a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals, to develop drought-tolerant corn as well as with Gadot Agro for red palm weevil insecticides.