February 21, 2024

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

WeedOUT’s approach is inspired by sterility techniques successfully used since the 1940s for controlling pest populations like flies and mosquitos. Since the inception of these sterility techniques 80 years ago, insect control using these methods has not encountered any issues of resistance, and has been considered one of the safest methods ever developed.

From this knowledge base, WeedOUT’s technology is based on a proprietary weed pollen derived from the male plants. This sterile pollen fertilizes female weed ovules, thus producing nonviable seeds, effectively stopping the growth of a new generation of resistant weeds. 

“WeedOUT effectively targets the innately complex reproductive system of the plant, not just one enzymatic pathway,” described Orly Noivirt-Brik, PhD, co-founder and co-CEO, WeedOUT. “This approach makes it almost impossible for the weeds to develop resistance. As the weeds are treated with pollen, our method is designed to work in harmony with the ecosystem and to avoid threats to the food crop.”

In support of this breakthrough green solution, WeedOUT announced it has raised $8.1 million in Series A funding led by Fulcrum Global Capital, and including Bunge Ventures, and Singapore-headquartered agrifood tech fund Clay Capital (formerly VisVires New Protein).

“Weeds are highly competitive, aggressive plants,” explains Efrat Lidor Nili, PhD, co-founder and co-CEO of WeedOUT. “They compete with crops for all essential resources, including soil, water, nutrients—and even sunlight. Weeds substantially reduce crop yield.”

Currently there are 263 herbicide-resistant species across 71 countries, making weed control and eradication harder than ever. However, traditional agricultural herbicide usage is tied to multiple issues and challenges – herbicide resistance, the inability for application in the rain or in windy conditions, the tendency to run-off into waterways, and stricter regulations and cases of litigation, to name but a few. 

At its core, the widespread usage of herbicides has been a double-edged sword – having been key to achieving optimum crop yields, but with each application there remains a percentage of naturally resistant weeds that continually reappear and reproduce. This cycle results in more resistant weeds with each passing season, resulting in what are coined “superweeds”.

“Evolution is always smarter,” said Nili. “The weeds learn ways to evade the effects of the herbicides. But WeedOUT is applying an entirely new, green approach that targets the reproductive system of resistant weeds and will provide a sustainable, long-term solution.”

The company’s first target is Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), a major challenge for farmers across the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina. It can grow up to several meters high, invading corn, cotton, soybean, and sugar beet fields, cutting corn yields by up to 90 percent, and soybean yields up to 80 percent. 

WeedOUT’s founders conducted initial experiments at their own homes with immediate success. Then, with proof-of-concept and Seed funding, advanced to field trials before scaling up to more extensive trials across the U.S. in cotton, soybean, and sugar beet fields. 

With this new funding, the company stated that it will further expand its field trials in multiple regions of the U.S. including the states of Georgia and Nebraska, and will work to launch its inaugural product targeting the Palmer amaranth weed, for which it has applied to the U.S. EPA for marketing approval. It also is currently developing new formulations to target additional weed species. Commenting how WeedOUT’s solutions represent a new era for farmers, Noivirt-Brik said, “By enabling them to integrate our biological approach with traditional methods, we are redefining weed management strategies.”

“Our products will dramatically enhance crop yields while simultaneously minimizing dependency on chemical herbicides. We envision our technology being widely adopted for multiple crops and serving as a key solution in the battle against resistant weeds. WeedOUT will make a vital and meaningful contribution to agricultural practices and food security, worldwide.”

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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