Ithaca, New York, USA
March 10, 2025
We at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) celebrate the remarkable achievement highlighted in Ascribe Bio’s recent press release: the groundbreaking success of its biological crop protection product Phytalix® in combating Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) in rice. This accomplishment represents a major stride toward sustainable agriculture and directly stems from years of collaborative research at BTI.
Phytalix is based on ascarosides, a natural molecule from the soil microbiome. BTI researchers discovered that these molecules trigger robust immune responses in plants, enabling them to effectively combat a range of pathogens while preserving beneficial soil organisms and ecosystem health.
The product’s efficacy against BLB in rice—a disease that can devastate harvests in major rice-producing regions—demonstrates its potential to address critical food security challenges. BLB affects millions of hectares of rice annually, with yield losses sometimes exceeding 70% during severe outbreaks. Rice serves as both the staple food for over half the world’s population and the economic foundation for one-fifth of people globally who depend on its cultivation for their livelihood.
Phytalix field trials demonstrated superior effectiveness, reducing BLB severity by over 80%—which is 20% better than existing treatments. In high-pressure areas, yields increased by up to 30%, with an average 13% improvement across all sites, including those affected by other rice diseases.
Impressively, the impact of Phytalix extends beyond rice protection. Four years of comprehensive field trials have shown that the product matches or even surpasses traditional synthetic fungicides in efficacy against major agricultural threats, including Corn Leaf Blight, Asian Soybean Rust, and Fusarium Head Blight in wheat. As agricultural pathogens increasingly develop resistance to conventional fungicides, tools like Phytalix provide a critically needed alternative.
At BTI, we believe this breakthrough exemplifies how fundamental plant science research can lead to transformative agricultural solutions. By working to understand the intricate mechanisms of plant immune systems, our researchers have helped create a pathway to reduce agriculture’s dependence on synthetic chemicals while maintaining and even improving crop yields.
As Phytalix moves toward wider commercial application, BTI remains committed to pursuing the scientific discoveries that will shape the future of resilient and sustainable agriculture.
To learn more about Phytalix and Ascribe’s efforts to help farmers grow more resilient plants through natural crop protection, visit https://ascribebio.com/.
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