Description of Innovation: Sound Agriculture has recently developed a biological seed treatment which can temporarily add valuable traits to a seed without breeding, genetic engineering or gene editing.  Using a new technique to silence genes with never-before-seen precision, this treatment makes no permanent changes to the plant, yet imparts the new trait for six to ten generations.   We have already demonstrated this approach in corn, tomatoes and potatoes, so expect it to be applicable to row crops, tree crops, specialty crops and vegetables.

Why it matters to the seed industry:  The treatment can cut the time to develop new traits from 5-12 years down to as little as two years with proof-of-concept within months.