Missouri-based Benson Hill Biosystems hopes that its CropOS design platform will be a vital tool to help plant scientists improve nutritional security halfway around the world in Africa. The company partnered with the African Orphan Crops Consortium to contribute genomics training in addition to helping make its platform available during the International Plant & Animal Genome XXVII Conference over the past few days in San Diego.
“The user-friendly interface and predictive power of Benson Hill’s Breed application, powered by its CropOS platform, will accelerate the ability of African scientists to develop better seeds and improve the diets of Africa’s children,” said Allen Van Deynze of the Seed Biotechnology Center and the African Orphan Crops Consortium.
Though there are over 30,000 edible plant species on the planet, two-thirds of global calories are derived from just five crops, which have received the majority of R&D attention. The African-led AOCC is sequencing the genomes of 101 highly nutritious crops at the heart of cultures across the continent that are staples to 250 million smallholder farmers.
The AOCC is also training 150 of Africa’s plant breeders in the latest strategies in plant breeding, statistics, and quantitative genetics, including the application of genomics in crop development.
Benson Hill’s CropOS platform combines advanced data analytics and biological knowledge with cloud-based computing to empower organizations to develop food and ingredients with better flavor, nutrition, and environmental sustainability. CropOS uses artificial intelligence to improve with every data set, enhancing the platform’s ability to predict biological outcomes and accelerate product development.
