Moa develops new crop protection category in partnership with Gowan

Agribio company Moa Technology has identified a new class of chemistries that could establish a fresh category of crop protection products aimed at supporting farmers with safer and more sustainable tools.

Over the past three years, the company has uncovered 80 herbicidal modes of action through its technology platforms. Several are already showing results in field trials across the US, Canada, France, Spain, the UK, Australia, and South America. 

Alongside these findings, researchers have pinpointed a set of “amplifier” molecules. While not herbicidal on their own, these compounds may allow growers to reduce the rates of existing herbicides without compromising effectiveness.

The first industry collaboration around this discovery is with Gowan Company, based in Yuma, Arizona. Under the agreement, Gowan will provide an upfront investment, additional milestone-based payments, and royalties. 

Virginia Corless, CEO of Moa, says the discovery introduces “an entirely new category of weed control solutions” and reflects the value of the company’s technology in delivering “new insights and discoveries at the forefront of plant science.”

For Laurent Cornette, global herbicide asset manager at Gowan, the joint effort is a pathway to “highly efficient weed control at minimal active ingredient rates.” She calls the collaboration an opportunity to provide farmers with “sustainable tools for the future.” 

The work may also open new possibilities for biological solutions in weed control. 

Bioherbicides currently represent one of the smallest areas within biologicals, partly because of difficulties achieving consistent performance. Amplifiers could enable hybrid approaches that combine biological and synthetic tools while reducing environmental impact.

Addressing sustainability challenges

The partners will focus on developing an amplifier to complement a specific active ingredient. Both companies describe the venture as a step toward addressing sustainability challenges in agriculture while maintaining global food security.

Pilot trials with an amplifier are underway in Australia, targeting annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), one of the most damaging weeds for grain producers. According to Weedsmart, annual ryegrass costs the country’s growers AUS$3.3 billion (US$2.2 billion) annually in control expenses and lost yields.

Trials are also running in the UK to assess the impact on cereal grassweeds. Glyphosate resistance has recently been confirmed in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), a major threat to crop production in western Europe.