14 TSB-ACT-1R Biotechnology for Anti-Weeds (BAW)

The project aim is to establish an economic technology to support a UK-based supply chain for the production of the novel herbicide Sorgoleone. There is currently no green "nature identical" herbicide on the market, and the major classes of commercially available products are now in the mature phase of their life-cycle. Sorgoleone, a powerful allelopathic chemical, is currently produced by plants in minute concentration. This project seeks to develop a commerically viable biotech synthesis route using a plant based starting material (available in thousands of tonnes). The project will develop a UK-based supply chain aimed at producing and selling the chemical. The lead organisation, Hockley International, an UK based SME in the agrochemical market has developed, through a TSB funded KTP, a methodology for the synthesis of the saturated component of sorgoleone using a widely available natural resorcinolic lipid. Hockley has now a patented approach to selectively extract the resorcinolic precursor of the target anti-weed molecule from cashew nut shell liquid (a non-valorised sub-product of the cashew kernel production available in 100,000 tons). Hockley's current chemical process is a five step route involving an oxidation with chromium. This funding will allow investigation into the possible reduction of the five steps to a two or three-step route via a cytochrome P450 enzymatic oxidation and enzymatic methylation. Field testing of the nature-identical synthetic molecules will also be undertaken to estimate its efficacy and applications rates.

The project aim is to establish an economic technology to support a UK-based supply chain for the production of the novel herbicide Sorgoleone. There is currently no green "nature identical" herbicide on the market, and the major classes of commercially available products are now in the mature phase of their life-cycle. Sorgoleone, a powerful allelopathic chemical, is currently produced by plants in minute concentration. This project seeks to develop a commerically viable biotech synthesis route using a plant based starting material (available in thousands of tonnes). The project will develop a UK-based supply chain aimed at producing and selling the chemical. The lead organisation, Hockley International, an UK based SME in the agrochemical market has developed, through a TSB funded KTP, a methodology for the synthesis of the saturated component of sorgoleone using a widely available natural resorcinolic lipid. Hockley has now a patented approach to selectively extract the resorcinolic precursor of the target anti-weed molecule from cashew nut shell liquid (a non-valorised sub-product of the cashew kernel production available in 100,000 tons). Hockley's current chemical process is a five step route involving an oxidation with chromium. This funding will allow investigation into the possible reduction of the five steps to a two or three-step route via a cytochrome P450 enzymatic oxidation and enzymatic methylation. Field testing of the nature-identical synthetic molecules will also be undertaken to estimate its efficacy and applications rates.

A key component of efficient large-scale outdoor crop production, such as wheat is the careful use of chemical control to suppress competing weeds. The current demands on global cereal production for food and biofuels production have placed renewed emphasis on the need for science and technology to support sustainable and high yielding arable agriculture. However, after 40 years of intensive use of herbicides, all the major classes of commercially available products are in the mature phase of their life-cycle. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that, one of the major UK-pests, Black-grass, an annual grass weed that is found in cereal growing areas, now has populations resistant to all seven classes of commercially available herbicides. In addition of being a weed, Black-grass is a carrier of diseases, most important being the ergot fungus (Claviceps purpurea) which results in contamination of the grain at harvest. The impact of further regulations such as the Water Framework Directive will result in further restrictions that will lead to withdrawals of some of the remaining commercially available herbicides, making the control of black grass and other grass weeds almost impossible. It has been suggested that potential yield losses could be similar to those seen in untreated crops, of about 35% (Clarke, J, Wynn, S. Twining, S, Berry, P, Cook, S. Ellis, S.Gladders, P. (Pesticide availability for cereals and oilseeds following revision of Directive 91/414/EEC; effects of losses and new research priorities (2009) Research Review No. 70, Home Grown Cereals Authority, 131 pp.) The development of a new herbicide for this sector will therefore have a significant impact in food production.
The world market for pesticides is predicted to reach USD 52 billion in 2014, of this about one third, USD 17 billion, will be herbicides. The sector has been growing at a CAGR of 3.6% in the last five years, and is expected to continue to growth in the near future. Agrochemicals are specially engineered and developed chemicals that are witnessing average growth in market demand. This increase is mainly driven by global population growth linked to a growing demand for food.

In the case of the herbicides, growth is currently sustained by increase of sales of generics, as no major new product has appeared in the last 10 years, due to a mix of circumstances. The IP and know-how generated by Bangor and Almac will will be exploited via Hockley with world-wide patents protecting the novel processing route of this nature identical herbicide. Direct impacts in the Agritech sector will include increases in production on the farm and a reduction in the environmental impact of a bringing a new herbicide to the market using a novel biotech production process.