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Bayer Leverages AI to Combat Herbicide-Resistant Weeds
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Bayer's crop science division is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence in its campaign against crop-destroying weeds. With existing herbicides becoming less effective due to growing resistance, agribusiness companies like Bayer are urgently seeking new herbicidal strategies. Bayer's forthcoming product, Icafolin, represents the first novel mode of action herbicide the company will introduce in approximately three decades, set to debut in Brazil in 2028.
A Technological Edge
Frank Terhorst, Bayer's Crop Science Division's executive vice president of strategy and sustainability, highlighted the potential of AI to expedite the development of new herbicides. In conversation with Reuters, Terhorst emphasized the complex challenge of creating herbicides that effectively eliminate weeds while minimizing collateral damage to other plants. "You want to find the one where you have maximum performance on what you want to kill – weeds, and basically no impact on everything else. And that balance is extremely difficult," Terhorst explained after an event in Chicago.
Enhanced Precision and Speed
According to Terhorst, AI aids in more precisely targeting the protein structures of weeds with appropriate molecules, utilizing extensive data sets. This technology accelerates the discovery process and reduces the number of unsuccessful trials. Bob Reiter, head of research and development for crop science at Bayer, echoed these sentiments. Reiter noted that AI tools could significantly shorten the discovery timeline for new herbicidal modes of action. "If we take the example of early research only, we today have at least three times the number of new modes of action compared to ten years ago," Reiter remarked.
