In late 2020, Yield10 Bioscience, a US agricultural bioscience company, began collaborating with Rothamsted Research, a UK-based agricultural research institute. This partnership aimed to develop omega-3 oils in camelina seed and create commercial products from it.
Rothamsted is a renowned non-profit research center specializing in agricultural science. Their team led by science director Prof Johnathan Napier has successfully produced DHA and EPA oils in camelina seed over the past decade. Yield10, headquartered in Woburn and with a subsidiary in Canada, focuses on developing crop systems and utilizing its Trait Factory and Fast Field Testing system to improve seed traits for various industries.
By leveraging Rothamsted’s technology, Yield10 plans to produce omega-3 producing camelina varieties for use in aquafeed, pet food, and nutritional supplements. The company’s president and CEO, Oliver Peoples stated that by 2024 they anticipate scaling up production and obtaining regulatory approvals for commercial launch.
In addition to working on enhancing camelina varieties as a platform crop for producing nutritional oils, proteins, and bioplastics, Yield10 is also actively collaborating with major agricultural companies to introduce new traits for canola, soybean, corn, and other crops. Their ultimate goal is to create innovative agricultural solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of the industry.