Ichor Ag develops a fungicide technology to reduce chemical use

Ichor Ag is developing a new class of fungicide chemistry designed to strengthen disease control while reducing the amount of crop protection products applied in the field. As reported by AgFunderNews, the US-based startup believes its technology can help growers maintain effective fungal disease management at a time when resistance is increasing and regulators are tightening restrictions on conventional fungicides.

The company's innovation comes as long-established fungicides such as Mancozeb face growing regulatory scrutiny in several markets. While these products have been widely used for decades because of their ability to attack pathogens through multiple biological pathways, environmental concerns and evolving regulations are driving the search for safer and more sustainable alternatives.

Unlike conventional fungicides, Ichor Ag's platform is based on photodynamically active xanthene chemistry. Once applied to crops, the compound absorbs sunlight and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage fungal cells by disrupting their membranes and other essential structures.

According to the company, this multi-site mode of action makes it significantly harder for pathogens to develop resistance compared with many single-site fungicides currently available on the market.

Rather than replacing existing fungicides, Ichor intends for its technology to work alongside them. Company executives say combining the new chemistry with current crop protection products can increase their effectiveness while reducing the overall amount of chemicals needed per hectare.

Research conducted by the startup indicates that combining its technology with lower doses of Mancozeb can achieve up to 99% disease control while cutting Mancozeb use by half.

Jeff Barnes, Vice President of Research and Development at Ichor Ag, explained that the goal is to improve existing products rather than replace them. "Take existing compounds, improve the level of activity, help improve control of resistant fungi, extend the life of some of these other fungicide products, and generate new intellectual property," he said, as reported by AgFunderNews.

CEO Matt Crisp added that the technology is designed to "supercharge" current fungicide portfolios by improving efficiency, extending product life cycles and creating additional commercial value for crop protection companies.

The company's approach has attracted attention from investors and industry specialists because the global pipeline for new fungicide active ingredients has slowed considerably while fungal resistance continues to expand.

Agribusiness consultant Garth Hodges said that discovering new disease-control chemistry remains one of agriculture's biggest challenges. Investors also believe the platform could become strategically valuable for major agricultural input companies seeking innovative resistance-management tools.

Some backers see a clear commercial pathway through licensing agreements or future acquisitions by large multinational crop protection companies, including firms such as Bayer or Corteva.

Ichor Ag is currently conducting field trials in the United States and Canada while preparing experimental use permit trials in Brazil, initially targeting soybean production. To date, the company reports that its technology has been evaluated across 16 different crops, demonstrating the potential to expand beyond its first commercial application.

The startup also emphasizes its capital-efficient development strategy. Rather than requiring hundreds of millions of dollars to commercialize its technology, executives say the company is focusing on achieving technical milestones with disciplined investment while building a platform that could support multiple future products.

If ongoing field trials continue to validate its results, Ichor Ag's technology could offer growers a new tool to improve crop protection, reduce chemical inputs and address one of agriculture's fastest-growing challenges: managing fungal resistance while meeting increasingly strict environmental standards.