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Missouri Agtech Company Partnering With Bridgestone Americas On Rubber Research

  • February 27, 2018

St. Louis, Missouri-based agtech startup NRGene is partnering with Bridgestone Americas to increase the U.S. supply of natural rubber. The two companies will work to sequence and assemble genomes of guayule, a rubber-producing plant, to develop high-yielding varieties.

“Rubber is critical to every aspect of our lives, from tires to medical devices,” said NRGene CEO Gil Ronen. “Sustainable use of our natural resources is always a key concern, so this represents a major step forward. With more insights into guayule, Bridgestone will be able to increase rubber yields while reducing the resource requirements.”

NRGene develops advanced computational tools and uses big data to identify genetic traits to improve yield, environmental tolerance and disease resistance.

“We are looking forward to utilizing NRGene’s capabilities and experience in agricultural genome analytics to move our guayule breeding program to a new level,” said Bridgestone Americas Chief Technology Officer Nizar Trigui. “This will quickly bring the most advanced molecular breeding capabilities previously found only in advanced row crops to guayule.”

Missouri is the global leader in agtech and gateway to the future of advanced farming. Missouri’s agtech industry is leading the way with innovative technology and research that is transforming agriculture. Missouri’s crop and livestock diversity, abundant water supply and rich soil provide a solid, statewide, foundation for agtech companies to grow and succeed.

In Missouri, the future of agtech is happening today. Big data, smart farming, input optimization, precision ag, biologicals, breeding, green chemistry, green pharmaceuticals, intellectual capital, an extensive agtech infrastructure, investors… it’s all growing right here.

For more information on why Missouri could be a prime location to launch or grow your business, contact Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership, at 314.725.2688 or via our contact form, with any questions you might have, and learn how Missouri Partnership can help with your business expansion needs.

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