Marrone Bio Innovations and Scripps Institution of Oceanography Collaborate on Discoveries for Use in Pest Management Novel deep sea microorganisms may be useful as natural products for agriculture

Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. (MBI), is collaborating with the laboratories of research microbiologist Dr. Paul Jensen and Professor William Fenical at the University of California at San Diego, Scripps...

Institution of Oceanography to find deep sea microorganisms with potential applications for pest management. UC's Industry University Cooperative Research Program (IUCRP) awarded Dr. Jensen's Lab a Discovery Grant for the joint project. As a requirement of the grant award, MBI matched these funds.

Dr. Jensen's lab collaborates with the lab of Dr. William Fenical who is internationally recognized for significant discoveries of new pharmaceutical compounds from naturally occurring marine microorganisms. Their labs discovered a new genus of marine microorganisms that could have applications for use against pests, weeds and plant diseases. The labs also train students and postdoctoral researchers. MBI has employed a researcher from Fenical's lab to work on the chemistry of natural compounds produced by a soil bacterium (discovered by New York State Museum) that kills invasive quagga and zebra mussels.

"Marine microorganisms have interesting diversity and biological properties," says Dr. Marja Koivunen, MBI's VP of Research. MBI is also developing a novel marine microorganism discovered by Dupont and Biomar, S.A. for use as a rice herbicide. "So we already know that microorganisms from under the sea have commercial potential. This collection of microbes from Dr. Fenical's lab looks particularly exciting because of the diverse natural compounds these bacteria produce."

Founded in 1996, the Industry University Cooperative Research Program (IUCRP) administers Discovery grants to fund research undertaken in partnership with the private sector to yield benefits for California's economy. This has helped California businesses to successfully transform new knowledge from University labs into new technologies and products providing a foundation for job growth and economic expansion.

Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) discovers, develops and markets effective and environmentally responsible products that fill unmet needs for weed, disease and pest management. Through a combination of in-licensed technology and its own R&D, MBI uses plants and naturally occurring microorganisms from unique habitats to develop better and safer pest management products. The company has an impressive pipeline of new products, including two insecticides, two herbicides and Zequanox(TM) for controlling invasive zebra and quagga mussels in waterways (EPA pending). MBI currently markets GreenMatch(R) Burndown Herbicide for weed control in organic crop production and Regalia(R) for control of fungal and bacterial diseases of both food and ornamental crops in conventional and organic production.

For more information, visit www.marronebioinnovations.com.

SOURCE Marrone Bio Innovations