The science behind Intrinsyx Bio begins in the mountains of Northern Washington. That’s where you’ll find poplar and willow trees growing along the banks of glacial melt rivers. These resilient trees grow in unusually harsh conditions. The soil is rocky, sandy, and lacks nutrients. Temperatures range from extreme heat to heavy snowfall. The climate includes everything from droughts to floods.

University of Washington Professor Sharon Doty is one of the world’s leading experts on endophytes — the tiny microbes that live inside of plant tissues and play a vital role in plant health and nutrient acquisition. Dr. Doty extensively studied these microbes from these trees to understand how they flourished in such harsh conditions.

Her research led to the discovery of a rare collection of endophytes that enable the trees to thrive in this challenging environment. Dr. Doty spent decades researching these endophytes and identifying how their unique properties and benefits — including nutrient use efficiency and abiotic stress tolerance — can be successfully transferred to traditional crops to help them grow stronger and faster.

Intrinsyx Bio has an exclusive license to commercialize these naturally occuring endophytes and is actively developing commercial products that are proven to improve nutrient uptake and overall plant health. This includes products across multiple application methods, including seed treatment, foliar, and in furrow.

Rooted in Research

Dr. Doty has published dozens of articles in leading academic journals on this topic and wrote the definitive book on endophytes, Functional Importance of the Plant Microbiome.

Her research, including detailed genomic analysis, shows that these endophytes contain a gene associated with atmospheric nitrogen fixation. Fluorescent imaging confirms that the endophytes colonize the inside of plant roots and shoots.

Intrinsyx Bio has continued to test these microbes in the lab and commercial field trials. This research has validated the professor’s findings, proving that the microbes are effective in real-world conditions and can be successfully integrated into modern farming practices.

More than 800 field trials have been conducted, many in collaboration with the world’s leading agricultural input companies, seed companies, and fertilizer companies.

The microbes have been tested in trials involving more than 20 different crops, including cereals, oilseed, vegetables, permanent crops, forestry, and turf grass.

800 Field Trials
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20 Different Crops
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A Consistently Positive Impact on Crop Yield

The result: a consistently positive impact on crop yield.

Two notable N15 studies demonstrate the effectiveness of these endophytes:

  • University of Washington (year): Direct evidence that poplar trees inoculated with these endophytes receive up to 70% of their nitrogen requirements from the air through these microbes.
  • Kansas State University (2022): Direct evidence that these endophytes fix atmospheric nitrogen directly into corn and wheat plants.

An Ancient Relationship Unlocks Promising Results for Modern Agriculture

Plants have always contained microbes that help them survive in various environments. By using microbes from trees, we are restoring a key plant-microbe symbiosis that has been lost in the transition from nature to modern farming. The newfound ability to isolate and extract specific microbes — and then inject their unique characteristics into modern crops — holds incredible promise for today’s farmers.

Intrinsyx Bio uses proprietary strains of microbes to create products that improve nutrient uptake, increase plant growth and yields, increase water use efficiency and drought tolerance, and improve overall plant health.

Products can be applied to crops through seed treatment, foliar, and in furrow. After application, research confirms the presence of selected microbes inside inoculated plants using in-planta PCR detection.