Yield10 Bioscience field tests camelina programmed to produce PHA bioplastics

In Massachusetts, Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. announced successful field testing of prototype lines of the oilseed Camelina sativa that have been programed to produce PHA bioplastics directly in seed.

The prototype plants tested in these studies were programed with microbial genes based on a recent patent filed for new technology developed by Yield10 researchers to produce Camelina seed containing high levels of PHA bioplastic suitable for field production. Several Camelina lines were grown in small plots at field test sites in the U.S. and Canada. Compared to control plants, the engineered PHA Camelina lines emerged and matured later but once established, exhibited good vigor, branching, flowering and seed set. All engineered PHA Camelina lines tested produced PHA in the seed. The levels of PHA produced in seed at the two different locations were consistent and measured up to 6 percent PHA of mature seed weight depending on the plant line tested, demonstrating proof-of-concept for field production of PHA in Camelina sativa using the new technology.

Based on these results, Yield10 has selected two PHA Camelina lines for larger scale field testing in 2021, pending the issuance of permits in the U.S. In addition to generating more data, Yield10 plans to determine the suitability of the lines for initial commercial activities. Each PHA application area has different price points and scale requirements, and will have different PHA content requirements for commercial launch. Based on this, Yield10 believes that PHA content in the range of 5 to 20 percent of mature seed weight in Camelina would address the range of target applications. Yield10 plans to extract the PHA bioplastic fro