BoostCrop project wins Faraday Horizon Prize

Launched in 2019 with a total budget of €4 million, BoostCrop was funded through FET Open (now renamed EIC Pathfinder Open), a program dedicated to high-risk, high-potential exploratory research. In a context of climate change, where unpredictable cold episodes increasingly threaten crops, the international consortium behind the BoostCrop project set itself the task of developing a new-generation biocontrol solution. The ambition was clear: to offer an innovative and sustainable alternative to conventional methods of protecting crops against temperature stress.

The project is based on an innovative scientific approach aimed at developing molecular temperature regulators capable of improving plant germination and growth processes in situations of cold stress. Rather than turning to conventional chemical solutions, the research team made the bold choice of biomimicry.

The strategy developed is based on three complementary pillars:

• Biomimicry: URD ABI took inspiration from nature by reproducing molecules naturally present in plants that enable them to survive low temperatures. This approach ensures optimal compatibility with the biological mechanisms of plants.
• Green chemistry: the molecules were synthesized using environmentally friendly processes, minimizing the ecological impact of their production. This approach is fully in line with the sustainable development and ecological transition objectives of European agriculture.
• Optimized formulation: the molecules were formulated for easy application by spraying, facilitating their use by farmers in real farming conditions.

Field tests carried out in different climatic conditions have convincingly demonstrated the effectiveness of the molecules developed. The results show their ability to effectively protect crops from the cold while significantly stimulating biomass production at low temperatures, thus opening up promising prospects for agriculture in areas exposed to temperature variations.

This innovation stands out from existing solutions thanks to a set of remarkable features that meet the current requirements of sustainable agriculture. The product developed is entirely biomimetic and bio-based, ensuring its seamless integration into agricultural ecosystems. Its non-toxicity and biodegradability make it an environmentally friendly and human health-friendly solution, meeting growing societal expectations in terms of food safety. On a practical level, the product offers ease of dosing and application that is appreciated by farmers, with a perfectly known and reproducible mode of action.

The scientific and technical success of the BoostCrop project has yielded tangible and protected results. The URD ABI has filed several patents. This intellectual property protection provides an essential foundation for industrial and commercial exploitation and positions AgroParisTech as a major player in innovation in the field of agricultural biocontrol. Bolstered by this recognition from the Royal Society of Chemistry and promising results, the consortium’s objective is to move the BoostCrop project from the research stage to commercialization as an agricultural biostimulant. With this in mind, the AgriBoost project, led by URD ABI, has been submitted to the EIC Transition Open call for projects.