Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most damaging pest to soybean crops in the U.S., causing over $1.5 billion in annual losses

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Innatrix Inc. $175,000 on September 30, 2025, under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212) to develop an RNA interference-based seed treatment for soybean cyst nematode control.

Innatrix is creating a stable powder formulation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to be applied as a seed treatment that targets and disables specific nematode genes essential for infection. The approach aims to provide farmers with an environmentally safe, cost-effective alternative to resistant varieties, crop rotation, and chemical pesticides, which have become less effective or carry environmental or economic drawbacks. The project encompasses formulation development, seed treatment application methodology, and greenhouse efficacy testing, with the goal of delivering protection at the crop's early growth stage.

Work is performed in Cary, North Carolina, with a period of performance ending May 7, 2026. This Phase I SBIR award demonstrates technical feasibility and validates the commercial potential of the innovation ahead of possible Phase II funding.

Current methods, like resistant soybean varieties and crop rotation, are becoming less effective, and chemical treatments can be costly or environmentally harmful. Innatrix is developing a new, ECO-friendly way to protect soybean plants using RNA interference (RNAI). By applying double-stranded RNA (DSRNA) to seeds, we aim to turn off specific nematode genes that are essential for infection, reducing pest damage without harming the environment. This project focuses on creating a stable powder form of DSRNA, applying IT as a seed treatment, and testing its effectiveness in greenhouse trials. The end goal is to provide farmers with a cost-effective and safe solution that works at the start of the growing season and protects crops early on. Our approach could dramatically reduce the need for chemical pesticides, improve yields, and pave the way for RNAI-based pest control across agriculture.