Rethinking Crop Protection in the Age of Synthetic Biology
When we talk about synthetic biology in agriculture, the focus often falls on genetically edited crops and chemical pesticides. Yet, the use of traditional chemistry for conventional pest control is continuously facing more stringent regulatory hurdles, crop resistance problems, and consumer scrutiny.
Novel crop protection methods are being facilitated by a new age in synthetic biology for the agriculture industry. Such novel tools for pest control present promising opportunities for addressing the most common challenges faced by the agriculture industry.
One company leading this next wave of innovation is BugBiome, which is redefining how we protect crops by tapping into nature’s own crop protection abilities.
Rather than relying on traditional chemical insecticides, BugBiome develops natural crop protection solutions by decoding the natural complex interactions between insects and microbes. Using a proprietary high-throughput behavioural screening platform, they can identify and optimise microbial candidates that deter pests without harming beneficial insects. This allows for a multi-modal, targeted approach to pest control, enhancing biodiversity, reducing the risk of resistance, and accelerating sustainable agriculture. BugBiome’s platform not only uncovers novel mechanisms overlooked by conventional methods but also brings these solutions to farmers up to 10 times faster, marking a significant leap forward in microbial discovery and application.
Momentum is building in bringing these novel solutions to market. In Brazil, where regulators have rebuilt frameworks around biologicals, farmer adoption has surged. In Europe, stricter rules on chemistry are accelerating grower demand for microbial solutions, even as the regulatory pathway for testing and approval remains cumbersome.
The Challenges and the Opportunities
Despite the positive trajectories, bringing microbial products to market is not straightforward. Traditional field trial protocols are designed for chemistry, expecting near-100% efficacy. Biologicals, often effective at 50–60%, must be evaluated within integrated pest management systems rather than against outdated benchmarks. Formulation, scale-up, and regulatory approval remain challenging.
This tension between scientific promise and practical hurdles sits at the heart of the current agricultural biotech landscape.
An Industry Perspective
For Dr Alicia Showering, the journey into agricultural synbio began with a very different question: Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others? Her PhD work on skin microbes and mosquito behaviour eventually led her to ask a broader question: if microbes can influence insect behaviour in health, what might they do in agriculture?
BugBiome was born from that question. Today, the company is discovering insecticides from microbes, targeting pests like aphids, cabbage stem flea beetle and beyond, at a time when farmers face shrinking options available to protect their crops from pests.
Showering is candid about the realities of building in this space:
- Regulation is the biggest barrier. “In crop protection, we’re fortunate to be able to test our technology directly on plants, but ironically it’s often easier to run a field trial in the US than to navigate the paperwork in the UK.” she notes, urging agencies like CRD and HSE to adapt rules to biological realities so novel crop protection can be developed in the UK.
- Support networks are vital. From accelerators that provided free lab space, grant funding from Innovate UK, to experienced regulatory and commercial advisors who helped avoid costly missteps, early support made the difference between an idea and a company.
- Investment requires relationships, not just pitches. Showering sends a monthly newsletter update to every investor she meets that will agree to receive it, emphasising the importance to “Show progress consistently.”
- Leadership is learned, not innate. Hiring more experienced scientists who are experts in their area of knowledge is essential. Her style now emphasises openness, direct feedback, and above all ensuring the team has the resources to keep moving forward.
For Showering, the excitement lies ahead: applying synthetic biology to reduce costs, scaling production, and expanding the “never ending” list of insects to focus on underpins BugBiome’s insecticide discovery. With fresh funding streams emerging in the UK for microbial agriculture and 200 square meters of glasshouse space at their new home at Norwich Research Park, the timing feels right.
Why it matters
AgBio is entering its commercial phase. Farmers need new solutions. Regulators need new frameworks. Investors need long-term vision and openness to alternative business models. And founders like Showering are proving that microbial innovation is not just possible, it’s necessary.
As she puts it: “Science is never as fast as you want it to be. But with the right people, patience, and persistence, you give your products the best chance of making it to the market which remains the goal!”
At SynbiTECH2025, Showering will join fellow founders and researchers to explore how synthetic biology is shaping the future of sustainable agriculture. For anyone interested in how microbes can transform crop protection, her story is one not to miss.
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