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Grants4Ag 2023: Transformative approaches for next-gen Crop Protection
What questions do you have about this RFP?
Get them answered by the team at Bayer Crop Science.
Background

Weeds, disease, and harmful insects rob plants of water, sunlight, and nutrients, which can have a devastating impact on food production. At Bayer, we bring greater than a century of research to manage these global challenges, and we want you to help us find the next exciting class of crop protection products. 

 

We are interested in collaborating to identify novel starting points for crop science R&D, which includes finding tool compounds that could unlock new modes of action for control of fungal diseases, insect pests, or weeds as well as reducing the environmental impact of future products. 

 

Through our Grants4Ag program, we offer unrestricted funding and focused guidance toward discovering new molecular targets for fungicide, pesticide or herbicide research as well as delivery mechanisms or formulations for novel active ingredients.

What we're looking for

We are interested in providing funding and mentoring in order to advance your research and determine if there is any potential application in shaping the future of crop protection.

Solutions of interest include:
  • Novel biochemical or structural targets that could inhibit key pathways in plants, insects or fungi.
  • Innovative methods to deliver active ingredients to plant or pathogen-based systems.
Our must-have requirements are:
  • Submissions must include a hypothesis for an effect that can be tested experimentally.
What's out of scope:
  • Compounds with known or expected biological activity (please submit to our Testing4Ag program).
What we can offer you
Benefits:
Gift (Unrestricted grant)
Funding is proposal-dependent and typically ranges from $5,000-$15,000. Prior recipients have used the funding for research, personnel, equipment and other purchase. Indirect costs are not included.
Expertise
Each successful submission will be partnered with a Bayer scientist who will provide guidance and feedback on the project.
Tools and Technologies
Access to chemical libraries, DNA sequences and screening technologies will be provided on a case by case basis.
Who we are

Bayer’s vision of #HealthForAll, #HungerForNone drives our need to strengthen innovation capabilities in all areas of agriculture. We know we can’t accomplish this alone, so we're always interested to hear about novel, early-stage scientific innovations that can contribute to feeding the world without starving the planet. You have our commitment to take a look, match with our R&D priorities and provide you timely feedback.

 Learn more
Reviewers
SM
Simon Maechling
Innovation Scout
MC
Michael Crawford
Emerging Technologies
AJ
Agoston Jerga
Delivery & New Assay teamlead
TB
Tracy Bucholz
Biologics Formulations Lead
AP
Anne Pfeiffer
Lab leader Biochemistry
VL
Virginie Lempereur
Lab Leader
WS
Wen Su
Discovery Analytics Lead
SG
Sven Geibel
Lab Leader Mode of Action
RO
Roberto Orru
Lab leader Target discovery
FV
Florent Villiers
Lab leader
SB
Swantje Behnken
Scientist
AM
Arianna Martelletti
Formulation expert
JB
Jan niklas Bröker
Lab Leader Target Discovery 1
DM
Daniela Marheineke
Lab Leader
DS
David Schneider
Lab head Agrokinetics
SG
Silvia Cerezo Galvez
Lab Leader, Senior Fellow
CB
Cathleen Bradler
Biochemical Research Lab Lead
VT
Valerie Toquin
Scientific coordinator
SH
Stefan Herrmann
Bioavailability - Soil
HP
Heemanshu Patel
Innovation and Collaboration
SS
Shaun Selness
Head of Emerging Technologies
JZ
Junhua Zhang
Herbicide Form Team Lead
SH
Sevim Hatipoglu
Formulation Scientist
LL
Limin Liu
Team lead
KW
Katharina Wölfel
Hit Discovery Monheim
RB
Rachel Baltz
Early Discovery Lead
YH
Yoann Huet
Lab Leader Biochemistry
ZQ
Zhenzhen Qiao
Cellular/molecular scientist
DT
Dhineshkumar Thiruppathi
Cell and Molecular Biology
UK
Ulrich Ebbinghaus Kintscher
Lab leader
BH
Billy Haakenson
Scientist II
CD
Christina Diederich
Postdoc
PT
Phil Taylor
Director of Open Innovation & Outreach
DR
Dan Ruzicka
Innovation Sourcing Lead - Biotech Breeding
Q&A with Bayer Crop Science

The Q&A is now closed.

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Most upvoted
Q.
We are located in a coastal area where the soil is highly sodic in nature. I would like to submit a proposal where in we would like to generate transgenic rice varieties and other cereals that are salt resistant. Is this of interest to Bayer?
3
A.
Hi, and thank you for your interest in the program. Similar to the question above, unfortunately your proposal is likely not a good fit for the current Grants4Ag call, which focuses on discovery of new molecular targets and delivery of molecules for crop protection. Apologies for that, and please keep an eye out for suture rounds that may include trait/genomic approaches. Thanks, Phil.
PT
Phil Taylor, Director of Open Innovation & Outreach, Bayer Crop Science
February 8, 2023
Is this response helpful?
1
0
Q.
Hello, I am interested in exploring the bioactive potential of African grain Teff. The grains are rich in antioxidants, phenols along with high nutritional benefits. I would like to submit a proposal to discover bioactive compounds that can be used for developing plant-based molecules. Does this fit under Bayer's strategies?
2
A.
Hello Aiswarya--thank you for the question. For this round we are looking to fund research on novel molecular targets within pests or pathogens or new delivery systems for characterized compounds. Unfortunately, I would not anticipate funding for discovery of active ingredients from biological material (or elsewhere) without a specific proposal to evaluate the above research goals.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
March 13, 2023
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0
0
Q.
Hello, how does IP work if something is found during screening? Thanks!
2
A.
Hi, and thank you for the question. Any IP that can be generated through the program stays with you. We consider this funding truly precompetitive. Thanks, Phil.
PT
Phil Taylor, Director of Open Innovation & Outreach, Bayer Crop Science
February 2, 2023
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2
0
Q.
Hello, one of the solutions of interests states: "Innovative methods to deliver active ingredients to plant or pathogen-based systems." What does it mean when it refers to "pathogen-based systems"? Is this referencing technology using Agrobacterium or some nanotechnology using microbial organisms? Thank you!
1
A.
Hello Carolina--we are looking to support novel agrochemical active ingredient delivery methods into plant cells for herbicide/plant growth regulation or into pest and pathogen cells (fungi and insects). Those methods could include components of an organism (e.g., membranes or vesicles). Hope that helps.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
February 13, 2023
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0
0
Q.
Hello, "active ingredients to plant or pathogen-based systems" is this referring the formulation as a carrier to deliver the active ingredients or pathogens. I would like to know the type of crops/AI or pest you are interested? Thanks!
1
A.
Hello Karthik---yes, 'formulation as a carrier to deliver the active ingredients' to host plants or pathogens would be considered on-topic for this Grants 4 Ag round. Bayer is involved with a wide variety of cropping systems and active ingredients, so I don't believe one that your team may use as a model (from Bayer or another company/research facility) would have a significant impact at this stage. Eventually, any delivery method would need to be evaluated for differentiating effects is several cropping systems. The pests and pathogens can also vary widely, but it may help to look over the list of organisms we routinely use to assess active ingredients in our concurrent Testing 4 Ag program (https://knowledge.halo.science/testing4ag-species-examples).
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
February 16, 2023
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0
0
Q.
We have some microbial cultures with the ability to tolerate 15% NaCl, isolated from marine sediments and mangrove ecosystem of Tamil nadu. Is it possible to submit a project to assess the role of microbial consortia in modulating plant physiology in order to sustain growth of the plant in saline sodic soil? We have confirmed the role of maize endophytic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Glomus intraradices mediated defense against fall armyworm. Can we propose a project to develop such a endophytic bacterial consortia against pink boll worm attack in cotton? Thanks.
1
A.
Hello Kalaiselvi, Unfortunately, both proposals are out of scope for the current Grants4Ag round, which is focused on small molecule MOA and delivery technologies. We are considering future rounds for biological/microbial solutions, abiotic stress reduction, etc so would continue to monitor the Halo site. It's possible your second finding could be crafted into a proposal if you are interested in elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which the strains induce FAW defense.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
February 28, 2023
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1
0
Q.
Hi! What happens in the case that you find our componds are of no interest to you, can we then do whatever with them or are we somehow bound to you and cannot use and publish further data? Thanks, Grisa
1
A.
Hi - thanks for the question - you are free to do whatever you wish with the data, regardless of the outcome!
PT
Phil Taylor, Director of Open Innovation & Outreach, Bayer Crop Science
March 30, 2023
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0
0
Q.
Is "innovative methods to deliver active ingredients to plant or pathogen-based system" limited to "developing chemicals"? Or can it be expanded to "developing devices to help pesticide delivery"?
1
A.
Hello Moses--delivery devices will be considered as well. Thanks for the question!
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
March 10, 2023
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0
0
Q.
Does the vesicle need to carry a novel compound and fuse with the host cell, or can it be a novel vesicle delivery system? Can it also be a vesicle carrying a novel pesticide for a controlled-release delivery?
1
A.
Hi Carolina--thanks for the question. All of these options have potential for this year's Grants 4 Ag. Whatever method you feel will help to improve the delivery of active ingredients with a goal of lower use rates, costs, improved sustainability, etc.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
March 10, 2023
Is this response helpful?
0
0
Q.
We have identified a novel structural target in fungi which attack both cereal and non-cereal crops and have designed compounds which specifically inhibit this enzyme which we would like to test. Does this fit?
1
A.
Hi Tony--thanks for your interest. Yes, this proposal could potentially fit both into Grants4AG (novel target) as well as Testing4AG (evaluation against pathogenic fungi and other pests and pathogens).
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
March 13, 2023
Is this response helpful?
0
0
Q.
Hello, is phage-based biocontrol for bacterial crop diseases within the remit of this call? Thank you.
1
A.
Hi Ivana--thanks for your interest. Unfortunately, your proposal is likely out of scope for the current Grants4Ag round, which is focused on new small molecule modes of action and delivery technologies. We are considering future rounds for biological/microbial solutions, abiotic stress reduction, etc so would continue to monitor the Halo site.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
March 22, 2023
Is this response helpful?
0
0
Q.
A team is working on a novel approach for crop protection from pathogens by controlling vector population dynamics but does not involve the use of agri compounds. Would this fall within the scope of the call?
1
A.
Hello Eugene--thank you for the question. This particular call is sponsored by the Bayer small molecules group (focus on new modes of action and delivery). From a preliminary reading, your proposal may fit better into other calls (past and likely future) that involve biotechnology, breeding, or general sustainability goals.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
March 22, 2023
Is this response helpful?
0
0
Q.
We are working in the area of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing for insect pest resistance in crop plants. We are knocking out the native genes to produce secondary metabolites and physiological changes for insect pest resistance. Is this concept relevant to the current theme of Bayer?
1
A.
Hello Arulprakash--thanks for your question. Unfortunately, your proposal is likely out of scope for the current Grants4Ag round, which is focused on small molecule MOA and delivery technologies rather than genetic manipulation of crops. It's possible that a proposal could be crafted to discover or develop novel small molecules that influence insect resistance pathways if your group is interested in elucidating these molecular mechanisms.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
March 22, 2023
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0
0
Q.
Hi! My project proposal has been advanced. But I haven't received any updates since then. I was wondering when I will receive further information regarding this proposal?
1
A.
Hello Itsuhiro, We are selecting the final awardees and matching to Bayer liaisons this month. I am not specifically familiar with your proposal, but there was a significant number of submissions this year (~100), so unfortunately only a small percentage will be awarded.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
June 14, 2023
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0
0
Q.
My group has worked on establishing stress tolerant transgenic rice variety using enhanced gene trapping method. Can I submit the hypothesis for further development?
1
A.
Hello, and thank you for your interest in the program. Your proposal on stress tolerant transgenic rice is likely not a good fit for the current Grants4Ag call, which focuses on discovery of new molecular targets and delivery of molecules for crop protection. Past (and likely future) rounds of Grants4Ag are expected to involve transgenic and breeding approaches for crop improvement.
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
February 7, 2023
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0
0
Q.
We expect that our compound could inhibit a biological pathway (Scope: "...targets that could inhibit key pathways..."). But what to do when "compounds with ...expected biological activity." are considered out of scope?
1
A.
Hello Henrique--thanks for the question. This Grants 4 Ag funding call is intended to support discovery/early development of novel molecular targets for weed, disease, and pest control in agriculture. We understand some targets may have chemical tool compounds already available that inhibit a given pathway and confer a biological effect. These active ingredients, if novel for agriculture, can be submitted to our Testing4Ag program. You can also concurrently submit a Grants 4 Ag proposal to further explore the molecular target of these compounds. Put more simply--Testing 4 Ag provides biological testing outputs while Grants 4 Ag provides funding and other non-experimental support (e.g., mentoring).
MC
Michael Crawford, Emerging Technologies, Bayer Crop Science
February 13, 2023
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