The Paris Agreement requires Brazil to plant approximately 10 million ha of seedlings for reforestation by 2030. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to expand at least five times the current capacity of native seedling production, which is practically unfeasible considering today's production models. The biotechnology startup IVGTech is developing in vitro multiplication technologies and plant cloning that can accelerate this production.
Recently, the researchers from IVGTech developed protocols for in vitro production of native species such as Jacaranda (Jacarandá), Jequitibá-tree-pink (Jequitibá Rosa), Pink Trumpet Tree (Ipê Roxo), Courbaril (Jatobá), and Glassywood (Guaritá). According to Mariza Monteiro, biologist and one of the founders of IVGTech, these protocols will help cloning plants with quality and on a large scale. “Planting from seeds may have germination problems and seasonal production. For reforestation programs, it is important to have access to quality seedlings, including the threatened species.”
The startup currently works on demand, and its structure is composed of a laboratory and greenhouse matrix, which come from an investment of approximately 1 million BRL made by the WBGI venture builder. Currently, the production is 40.000 plants/year, but it should reach 100.000 per year by the end of 2024. “We are leaving Esalqtec, a technological incubator of Esalq/USP, for a larger space in the Technological Park of Piracicaba, to expand our production,” explains Mariza.
The technologies used by IVGTech are in vitro propagation, replicating selected plants; speed breeding, which accelerates the development of these plants; and CRISPR, a gene edition for plant improvement without the need for transgenics.
Market access has been done in partnership with companies specialized in reforestation and ecological restoration in scale, and generation and marketing of carbon credits.
